Overview
- Analysis of ONS data by Just Group identifies about 740,000 single retirees and 500,000 two‑adult retired households as mainly reliant on the state pension, defined as at least 75% of household income.
- Pension UK’s Retirement Living Standards estimate a minimum annual income of roughly £13,400 for a single pensioner, compared with about £11,973 from the current full new state pension.
- Under the triple lock, the full new state pension will rise by 4.8% from April 2026 to £241.30 a week, a lift that commentators say still leaves many short of minimum costs.
- Just Group’s David Cooper says many affected pensioners may need to trim budgets by around £119 a month and should check eligibility for additional benefits.
- Coverage cites DWP figures indicating close to one million pensioners are not claiming Pension Credit worth about £2,600 a year on average.