Overview
- The full new State Pension is now £241.30 a week after a 4.8% rise, and the basic pre-2016 rate is £184.90, adding about £575 and £439 a year respectively.
- DWP is paying the higher rates on the usual four-week cycle in May, and some people will receive two four-week payments this month because of the payment calendar tied to National Insurance numbers.
- Pension Credit has increased by 4.8% to an average of about £4,300 a year, which can also open access to help with housing costs, council tax and free TV licences.
- Most pensioners remain on the older basic system, so many do not get the full new-rate increase, and gaps in National Insurance records mean some on the new system receive less than the headline amount.
- The government has pledged to keep the Triple Lock for this Parliament, and the state pension age is rising from 66 to 67 between 2026 and 2028 as longer-term costs draw scrutiny.