The State Pension was first introduced on 1 January 1909. The foundation of a universal contribution-related basic State Pension was laid in the 1940s. There are two main types of State Pension: contributory and non-contributory. Contributory State Pension consists of any combination of a Basic Pension (BP), Additional Pension (AP) or Graduated Retirement Benefit (GRB). Non-contributory pension consists of a...

Pension Credit was introduced in October 2003. It is a non-contributory, income-related benefit. Its purposes are: To lift the poorest pensioners out of poverty by providing a contribution to a minimum guaranteed income for those aged 60 and over living in Great Britain. To reward those aged 65 and...