The Department for Work and Pensions has confirmed that state pensioners born before 1951 will receive an additional £36 per month as part of the boosted rates for the 2026-27 financial year.
Basic State Pension Increase
State pensioners on the basic rate of the DWP state pension will see their payments rise from £176.45 to approximately £184.90 per week. This works out at an extra £36 over a four-week pay period.
The amount of Basic State Pension you receive depends on your National Insurance contributions. A DWP State Pension statement can inform you of your entitlement. The maximum Basic State Pension is now £184.90 per week.
How Entitlement Is Calculated
You are entitled to the maximum Basic State Pension if you have paid enough National Insurance contributions or received National Insurance credits for a total of 30 years. For each missing year in your National Insurance record, your entitlement is reduced by one-thirtieth. You may be able to pay voluntary National Insurance contributions to fill any gaps.
Deferring Your Pension
If you did not claim your Basic State Pension immediately upon reaching State Pension age and chose to defer it, your entitlement could have increased.
Additional Amounts from Old Schemes
Some people may still be entitled to additional payments from older schemes, including:
- State Second Pension (phased out from 6 April 2016)
- Increase for a husband, wife or civil partner (phased out from 6 April 2010)
- Increase for children (phased out from 6 April 2003)
- State Earnings Related Pension Scheme (SERPS) (phased out from 6 April 2002)
- Graduated Retirement Benefit (phased out from 6 April 1975)
Annual Increase Mechanism
The Basic State Pension increases every year by the highest of the following: average earnings growth in Great Britain, percentage growth in prices as measured by the Consumer Prices Index, or 2.5 percent.
Basic State Pension counts as income when determining your entitlement to other benefits.
