Overview

• The weekly basic state pension will rise by 4.1% from £176.45 to £187 in April, delivering an additional £548.60 a year for pre-2016 pensioners.
• The government is proceeding with its plan to increase the state pension age from 66 to 67 by April 2028 for those born after April 1960.
• The Department for Work and Pensions has pledged targeted support for older pensioners in the lower-rate tier, including signposting to Pension Credit and cost-of-living payments.
• More than 15,000 people have backed petitions calling for equal basic and new pension rates and for lowering the entitlement age to 60 with payments linked to the National Living Wage.
• Officials are exploring measures such as early pension access for terminally ill claimants as part of a broader review of pension adequacy and fairness.