The State Pension benefit currently provides essential support for 12.5 million older people across the UK - including more than one million people living in Scotland.
This regular payment for pensioners is available to those who have reached the UK Government's eligible retirement age, reports the Daily Record. This official age is now 66 for both men and women, who have also paid at least ten years worth of National Insurance contributions.
However, many people approaching the retirement age in 2023 may not be aware that this benefit is not paid automatically by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). This contributory payment needs to be claimed, or people could miss out on payments of £185.15 per week.
