Below are the eligibility requirements for the U.K.'s basic State Pension.

1. a. 

   General conditions

   • •

     male born before April 6, 1951; or

   • •

     female born before April 6, 1953; and

   • •

     thirty qualifying years of National Insurance contributions or credits (i.e., contributions through employment, voluntary insurance contributions, and/or applied credits for the unemployed, sick, parents, or careers).

2. b. 

   Spouses or civil partners - Not eligible for the basic State Pension or your basic State Pension is less than £82.45 per week.

3. c. 

   Widow or widower - Not eligible for the basic State Pension or your basic State Pension is less than £137.60 per week.

4. d. 

   Divorced Spouses or dissolved civil partnerships - The basic State Pension cannot be shared upon termination of a marriage or civil partnership. Divorced spouses or dissolved partners may use their former spouse or civil partner's National Insurance contributions record to increase the basic State Pension. Write to the address in GN 01719.020C for additional information on your circumstances.

   NOTE: If you reached State Pension age before April 6, 2016, you'll get the State Pension under the old rules instead.

Below are the eligibility requirements for the U.K.'s new State Pension.

1. a. 

   General conditions

   • •

     male born on or after April 6, 1951; or

   • •

     female born on or after April 6, 1953; and

   • •

     ten years of qualifying National Insurance contributions or credits, (i.e., contributions through employment, voluntary insurance contributions, and/or applied credits for the unemployed, ill, parents, or careers).

2. b. 

   Spouses and civil partners - Varies depending on when each member of the marriage or partnership reached State Pension age. Write to the address in GN 01719.020C for additional information on your circumstances.

3. c. 

   Widow or widower - Varies. Write to the address in GN 01719.020C for additional information on your circumstances.

4. d. 

   Divorced spouses or dissolved civil partnership - Varies. Write to the address in GN 01719.020C for additional information on your circumstances.

U.K. disability benefits, including Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment, Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), require residence in the U.K. ESA replaced the Incapacity Benefit and Income Support effective October 27, 2008. ESA does not include a supplement for children.

Individuals who received Incapacity Benefit and Income Support prior to October 27, 2008, will continue to receive these benefits as long as they continue to satisfy the entitlement conditions. Entitlement to Industrial Injuries Disabled Benefit payments require that the work accident or event that caused a worker’s illness occurred in England, Scotland or Wales.

ESA eligibility requirements:

• •

  must be under state pension age;

• •

  have a disability or health condition that affects how much you work;

• •

  must have worked as an employee or self-employed worker;

• •

  must have paid enough National Insurance contributions or received sufficient National Insurance credits, usually two to three years' worth;

• •

  must reside in the U.K.; and

• •

  must provide a fit note (sometimes called ‘sick note’ or ‘doctor’s note’).

The U.K. pays survivor benefits under the Bereavement Support Payment (BSP) program. BSP replaced the Widow's Pension, Bereavement Allowance, Bereavement Payment, and Widowed Parent's Allowance (WPA). WPA remains available to qualifying individuals as detailed below.

1. a. 

   To qualify for BSP, the applicant must:

   • •

     be the spouse or civil partner of a qualified individual who died in the last 21 months; and

   • •

     filed a claim within three months of the qualified individual's death.

2. b. 

   To qualify for WPA, the applicant must:

   • •

     be the spouse or civil partner of a qualified individual who died before April 6, 2017 with a confirmed cause of death;

   • •

     be a surviving spouse or partner who is under state pension age;

   • •

     be a surviving spouse or partner who is entitled to child benefits for at least one child to whom the late spouse or partner was a parent; and

   • •

     be the late spouse or partner of a qualified individual who paid National Insurance contributions or died as a result of an industrial accident or disease.