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UK Confirms 2026/27 State Pension Rise as Winter Payments Land and Tax Relief Covers Pension‑Only Households

The package boosts incomes now, with pension‑only claimants spared tax returns for the rest of this Parliament.

Overview

  • From April 2026, the full New State Pension rises 4.8% to about £241.30 a week (£12,547 a year) and the Basic State Pension increases to £184.90, equating to annual gains of roughly £575 and £440 respectively under the Triple Lock.
  • The uprating is driven by wage growth, with additional State Pension elements uprated by the September CPI figure, maintaining the policy that awards the highest of earnings growth, inflation or 2.5%.
  • The DWP is paying Winter Fuel Payments across November and December and the £10 Christmas Bonus this month, with further help such as the £150 Warm Home Discount for some and Scotland’s Pension Age Winter Heating Payment replacing the UK scheme there.
  • An over‑80s top‑up is available for those aged 80 and over who receive less than £105.70 a week, or no basic State Pension, lifting payments up to that level — worth up to £422.80 a month depending on existing entitlement.
  • The Chancellor has confirmed that people whose sole income is the State Pension will not have to complete tax returns or pay tax during this parliamentary term if their pension breaches the personal allowance, though those with private pensions may still be liable.