The State Pension will rise by 3.9% from April 2027. The government announced the rise on 28 October 2026, in line with the triple lock: average earnings grew faster than prices. The full new State Pension goes up to £13,036.40 a year, and the new rates mainly take effect from 12 April 2027.
DWP has not yet published the weekly 2027/28 amounts: it said it would put the full list of proposed rates on GOV.UK “in due course”. This page will add them when it does. Until April, the full new State Pension is £241.30 a week (£12,547.60 a year), after a 4.8% rise in April 2026. For how much you get now, see how much the State Pension is.
State Pension Reference Rates
| 2025/26 | 2026/27 | 2027/28 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full new State Pension | £230.25/week | £241.30/week | Weekly rate not published yet |
| Full new State Pension (annual) | £11,973.00 | £12,547.60 | £13,036.40 |
| Basic (old) State Pension | £176.45/week | £184.90/week | Up 3.9%; weekly rate not published yet |
| Rise that April | 4.8% (earnings) | 3.9% (earnings) |
How the April 2027 Rise Was Set
Under the triple lock the basic and new State Pension rise each April by the highest of growth in prices, growth in earnings or 2.5%. For April 2027 the government used average weekly earnings in the year to May to July 2026, which gave the 3.9% rise. Other State Pension rates, including the Additional State Pension, rise by 3.5%, in line with CPI inflation in the year to September 2026.
| Measure | Period used for April 2027 |
|---|---|
| Average earnings growth | May to July 2026 (ONS Average Weekly Earnings) |
| CPI inflation | September 2026 (ONS CPI) |
| 2.5% minimum | Guaranteed minimum |
| Rise for the basic and new State Pension | 3.9%, set by earnings growth |
New State Pension — Qualifying Years
| Qualifying years | Percentage of full pension | Weekly amount (2026/27) |
|---|---|---|
| 10 (minimum) | 28.6% | £68.94 |
| 15 | 42.9% | £103.41 |
| 20 | 57.1% | £137.89 |
| 25 | 71.4% | £172.36 |
| 30 | 85.7% | £206.83 |
| 35 (full) | 100% | £241.30 |
Each qualifying year adds approximately £6.89/week at 2026/27 rates (£358.50/year). Use the State Pension forecast tool to see your personal figure.
State Pension Age — 2027/28
The State Pension age is 66 for people born between 6 October 1954 and 5 April 1960. Under current legislation:
- Rising to 67 for those born between 6 April 1960 and 5 April 1977 — phased increase 2026–2028 (people born 6 April 1960 – 5 March 1961 reach a transitional age of 66 years plus 1–11 months; everyone born on or after 6 March 1961 has a State Pension age of 67)
- Rising to 68 remains legislated for 2044–2046, but a government review launched in 2025 is ongoing and could change this — no revised date has been confirmed as of September 2026
Is the State Pension Taxable?
Yes — the State Pension is taxable income. It is paid gross (without tax deducted at source) but counts towards your personal allowance. For most pensioners whose only income is the State Pension, no tax is due — the full new State Pension (£12,547.60/year in 2026/27) sits below the £12,570 personal allowance. But if you also receive a workplace or private pension, rental income, or employment earnings, those combine with the State Pension and standard income tax rates apply to the total above the personal allowance.
If your only income is the State Pension:
| 2026/27 (confirmed) | |
|---|---|
| Full new State Pension | £12,547.60/year |
| Personal allowance | £12,570 |
| Tax owed on State Pension alone | £0 (under personal allowance) |
| Combined with other income | Standard income tax rules apply |
For 2027/28, the Personal Allowance stays frozen at £12,570 (the freeze runs to April 2031), so the full new State Pension of £13,036.40 a year will be about £466 over the allowance. The government said at the 2025 Budget that, from April 2027, people whose only income is the basic or new State Pension won’t have to pay small amounts of tax through Simple Assessment.
How to Claim the State Pension
The State Pension does not pay automatically — you must claim it. DWP will send you a letter approximately 2 months before you reach State Pension age. If you do not receive a letter:
- Online: gov.uk/get-state-pension
- Phone: 0800 731 7898 (Monday–Friday 8am–6pm)
- By post: phone the Pension Service to request a State Pension claim form, which they’ll post to you
You can claim up to 4 months before your State Pension age date. Payments start from the date you reach State Pension age. If you claim later, you can ask for up to 12 months of backdated payments.
Deferring Your State Pension
You do not have to take the State Pension at your State Pension age — you can defer it indefinitely. Each 9 weeks you defer adds 1% to your weekly amount, equivalent to roughly 5.8% per full year. If you continue working or have other income and choose to delay:
| Deferral | New State Pension increase |
|---|---|
| Each week deferred | 1% added for every 9 weeks deferred (≈ 5.8%/year) |
| 1 year deferred | Approximately +£13.94/week (at 2026/27 rates) |
| 2 years deferred | Approximately +£27.88/week |
Deferral increases your State Pension permanently — but the break-even point is typically 17–18 years after retirement age. If you are in good health and have other income to live on, deferral can be worthwhile; if you need the income immediately or have health concerns, it usually is not. See our full guide on whether to defer your State Pension for a worked analysis.
State Pension and Pension Credit
If your State Pension (and any other income) falls below the Pension Credit Guarantee Credit threshold, you may be entitled to Pension Credit to top up the difference. The Pension Credit Standard Minimum Guarantee for 2026/27 is £238.00/week for a single person and £363.25/week for a couple. From April 2027 it rises to £247.30 a week for a single person and £377.40 for a couple. Our Pension Credit guide has the full eligibility rules. This is particularly relevant for those with fewer than 35 qualifying years who receive a partial State Pension.
People who get Pension Credit can also get other help, such as Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction: see Pension Credit rates 2027/28.
Filling NI Gaps Before April 2027
You can pay voluntary Class 3 NI contributions to fill gaps in your record from the last 6 tax years. Each qualifying year added increases your State Pension by approximately £6.89/week (at 2026/27 rates) — for life, and rising with future triple lock increases. Class 3 costs £18.40/week in 2026/27 (around £956.80 for a full year) — confirm the current rate at gov.uk before contributing, since it changes every tax year. The break-even period is typically around 2.5–3 years of State Pension receipt.
If you have fewer than 35 qualifying years and are approaching retirement, checking your NI record via gov.uk/check-state-pension — or our State Pension forecast guide — is worthwhile before deciding whether to pay voluntary contributions.
Related Guides
- How to claim the State Pension
- Living on the State Pension alone
- State Pension UK — Amounts, Eligibility and How It Works
- State Pension Amount 2026/27 — Confirmed Rates
- New State Pension vs Old State Pension
- State Pension Age by Birth Year
- State Pension Forecast — How to Check Yours Online
- Should You Defer Your State Pension?
- NI Voluntary Contributions — Should I Buy Extra Years?
- State Pension and Working — Do You Still Pay NI?
- Pension Credit UK — Complete Guide
- Pension Credit Rates 2027/28
- Pension Annual Allowance 2027/28
- New Tax Year April 2027 — Every Change Explained
- Pension Planning Hub