Overview
- The government applied the Triple Lock on April 6, 2026, increasing the full New State Pension to £241.30 a week (£965.20 four-weekly) and the full Basic State Pension to £184.90 a week (£739.60 four-weekly).
- The Department for Work and Pensions is urging eligible people to apply for Pension Credit because it is widely underclaimed, with official data and expert estimates suggesting between about 760,000 and 910,000 eligible households have not applied.
- DWP data show 78% of new Pension Credit claims are processed within the 50 working-day target, which means claims made now could generate first payments and arrears by late July or early August.
- Ministers have confirmed that pensioners whose sole income is the full Basic or New State Pension will not pay income tax this year or next, yet the personal allowance is frozen and analysts warn fiscal drag could lift tax liability for roughly 9.3 million pensioners by 2030.
- Key policy settings remain: the State Pension age is rising to 67 by 2028, the long-standing 'frozen pensions' rule for many overseas residents is unchanged, and deferring a claim remains a personal option that increases future payments by about 5.8% for a one-year deferral.