The Department for Work and Pensions has brought forward payments for state pensioners, and they will hit bank accounts before June. For the 2026/27 tax year, the full rate of the new State Pension is £241.30 per week. This amount is typically paid every four weeks (£965.20) and equates to an annual income of approximately £12,547.
Owing to the Bank Holiday in late May on May 25, payments will instead be given on May 22, the Friday before, as the DWP and Labour Party government look to ensure people are paid on the final working day before the three-day weekend.
State Pension Age and Claiming
You can claim your State Pension when you reach State Pension age. You can find out your State Pension age on the Gov.uk website or on NI Direct if you live in Northern Ireland. The State Pension age is currently 66, but is due to gradually rise to 67 between April 2026 and April 2028. This will affect people born on or after April 6th 1960. The State Pension age is regularly reviewed and further rises are planned.
You should receive a letter from the DWP no later than two months before you reach State Pension age. This tells you how to claim your State Pension. The quickest way to do this is online at Gov.uk. If you prefer, you can ring the Pension Service on 0800 731 7898 and ask them to send the claim form to you.
If you have not received a letter from the DWP, but you are within three months of your State Pension age, you can claim your State Pension anyway. If you live in Northern Ireland, the system for claiming your State Pension is slightly different. You can find out more on the NI Direct website.
The State Pension is usually paid every four weeks in arrears, so your first payment will be for the previous four weeks.
