Overview

• Latest ONS figures show total pay growth of 4.7% in May–July, making an earnings-led uprating the likely trigger for April 2026 unless September CPI tops that rate.
• A 4.7% increase would take the full new state pension to about £241.05 a week (roughly £12,535 a year), with the basic rate rising to about £184.75 a week.
• The projected annual amount sits around £35 below the £12,570 personal allowance, and experts warn frozen thresholds will draw more retirees into paying income tax.
• Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden reiterated that the government will keep the triple lock for this Parliament, as reviews of the state pension age continue.
• Analysts and actuaries caution that long‑term costs could be unsustainable without reform, with one actuarial projection suggesting a much higher state pension age might be needed to contain spending.