How much is the state pension 2026 to 2027?

The full new state pension is £232.15 per week (£12,082 per year) from April 2026. The full basic state pension is £177.90 per week (£9,256 per year). These rates apply from 7 April 2026 and represent an increase of 4.1% from the previous year under the triple lock guarantee.

How much has the state pension gone up in April 2026?

The state pension increased by 4.1% in April 2026. For the new state pension, this is an increase of £9.15 per week (£476 per year). For the basic state pension, the increase is £7.00 per week (£364 per year). The rise was based on the triple lock, using September 2025's earnings growth figure.

What is the triple lock pension increase 2026?

The triple lock guarantees the state pension rises each April by the highest of: average earnings growth, inflation (CPI), or 2.5%. For April 2026, the increase was 4.1% based on earnings growth, as this was higher than the 3.2% CPI inflation and the 2.5% minimum.

When is the next state pension increase UK?

The next state pension increase will be in April 2027. The amount will be announced in the Autumn Statement 2026, based on September 2026 figures for earnings and inflation. Under the triple lock, it will rise by at least 2.5% but potentially more depending on economic conditions.

State Pension Increase 2026/27 UK — How Much Will You Get? | PocketWise

The state pension increased in April 2026 under the triple lock guarantee. Here’s exactly how much you’ll receive.

Read more: See our State Pension guide for a complete overview of this topic.

State Pension Rates 2026/27

New State Pension Rates

Rate	Weekly	Monthly	Annual
Full new state pension	£232.15	£1,007	£12,082
Increase from 2025/26	+£9.15	+£40	+£476
Percentage increase	4.1%	4.1%	4.1%

Basic State Pension Rates

Rate	Weekly	Monthly	Annual
Full basic state pension	£177.90	£772	£9,256
Increase from 2025/26	+£7.00	+£30	+£364
Percentage increase	4.1%	4.1%	4.1%

When You Get Each Type

Type	Who Gets It
New state pension	Reached state pension age after 5 April 2016
Basic state pension	Reached state pension age before 6 April 2016

How the 2026 Increase Was Calculated

Triple Lock Figures

Measure	September 2025 Figure	Used for Increase?
Average earnings growth	4.1%	✓ Yes (highest)
CPI inflation	3.2%	No
Minimum guarantee	2.5%	No

The triple lock takes the highest of these three figures.

Historical Triple Lock Decisions

Year	Increase	Based On
April 2022	3.1%	CPI (earnings suspended due to COVID distortions)
April 2023	10.1%	CPI inflation
April 2024	8.5%	Earnings growth
April 2025	4.1%	Earnings growth
April 2026	4.1%	Earnings growth

Your State Pension Amount

Not Everyone Gets the Full Amount

Your state pension depends on your National Insurance record.

NI Years	% of Full State Pension	Weekly Amount (New SP)
35+ years	100%	£232.15
30 years	86%	£199.65
25 years	71%	£164.83
20 years	57%	£132.33
15 years	43%	£99.82
10 years	29%	£67.32
Under 10 years	0%	£0

Minimum: You need at least 10 qualifying years to get any new state pension.

Check Your State Pension Forecast

Visit GOV.UK to check your personal amount:

Go to gov.uk/check-state-pension
Sign in with Government Gateway
View your forecast and NI record

Additional State Pension Components

If You’re on Basic State Pension

You may also receive:

Component	Possible Amount	What It Is
Additional state pension (SERPS/S2P)	Varies	Based on earnings history
Graduated retirement benefit	Small amounts	Old pre-1975 scheme
Over 80 pension	£106.74/week	If you have little/no other pension

Protected Payment

If you had high additional state pension before 2016:

Situation	Outcome
Entitlement exceeded £232.15/week	Get ‘protected payment’ on top
Inflation protection	Protected payment increases with triple lock

State Pension Compared to Living Costs

Is the State Pension Enough?

Item	Monthly Cost	State Pension % Used
Average rent (UK, 1-bed)	£750	74%
Council tax (Band D)	£175	17%
Energy bills	£125	12%
Food/groceries	£300	30%
Basic costs	£1,350	134%

The full state pension alone doesn’t cover average basic living costs — highlighting the need for private pension savings.

Pension Credit Top-Up

If your income is low, Pension Credit can help:

Status	Weekly Guarantee	Annual
Single	£218.15	£11,347
Couple	£332.95	£17,327

If your income (including state pension) is below these levels, you may qualify for Pension Credit.

Payment Dates

When You’ll Be Paid

State pension is usually paid every 4 weeks in arrears.

Your payment day	Based on
Specific day each 4 weeks	Last 2 digits of your NI number

Example payment schedule:

NI Number Ends	Payment Day
00-19	Monday
20-39	Tuesday
40-59	Wednesday
60-79	Thursday
80-99	Friday

April 2026 Payment Dates

Payment Date	Period Covered
7-11 April 2026	First payment at new rate
Previous payments	At 2025/26 rate

The new rate applies from 7 April 2026 — your first payment at the new rate depends on your payment schedule.

State Pension Increase History

Recent Years

Year	New State Pension (Full)	Annual Increase
2020/21	£175.20/week	3.9%
2021/22	£179.60/week	2.5%
2022/23	£185.15/week	3.1%
2023/24	£203.85/week	10.1%
2024/25	£221.20/week	8.5%
2025/26	£223.00/week	4.1%
2026/27	£232.15/week	4.1%

Cumulative Increase (Since 2020)

Period	Percentage	Cash Increase
2020 to 2026	32.5%	£57/week
2020 to 2026 (annual)	+£2,964/year

Future of the Triple Lock

Government Commitment

Status	Detail
Current policy	Triple lock guaranteed for this Parliament
Manifesto pledge	Maintain triple lock
Potential changes	Under review due to cost pressures

Triple Lock Cost to Government

Year	State Pension Cost (approx)
2023/24	£124 billion
2024/25	£137 billion
2025/26	£145 billion
2026/27	£151 billion (est)

What If You’re Not Getting the Full Amount?

Options to Increase Your State Pension

Option	How It Works	Cost
Buy NI years	Voluntary Class 3 contributions	£17.45/week per year bought
Work longer	Gain more qualifying years	Earnings-dependent
Check for gaps	Years you could fill	Varies
Claim NI credits	Caring, unemployment, etc.	Free

Is Buying NI Years Worth It?

Example calculation:

Factor	Amount
Cost of 1 year (Class 3)	£907.40
Extra pension per year	£345 (approx)
Years to break even	2.6 years
Average retirement length	20+ years
Total extra pension	£6,900+

For most people, buying qualifying years is excellent value.

Deadline for Buying Years

Tax Year	Deadline to Buy
2006/07 to 2015/16	5 April 2025 (extended deadline ended)
2016/17 onwards	Usually 6 years to buy back
2020/21	By 5 April 2027
2021/22	By 5 April 2028

Tax on State Pension

Is State Pension Taxable?

Question	Answer
Is it taxable?	Yes — counts as income
Is tax deducted at source?	No — paid gross
How is tax collected?	Through PAYE on other income, or self-assessment

Tax Example

Income Source	Amount
State pension	£12,082
Private pension	£10,000
Total income	£22,082
Personal allowance	-£12,570
Taxable	£9,512
Tax at 20%	£1,902

If state pension is your only income, you’re below the personal allowance — no tax due.

State Pension Increase 2026/27 UK — How Much Will You Get?

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