State Pension Increase 2026/27 UK — How Much Will You Get?
State pension rates for 2026/27 after the triple lock increase. New and basic state pension amounts, how much extra you'll receive, and when the rise takes effect.
Pension information is based on current UK legislation. Pensions are regulated by the FCA and The Pensions Regulator. This is not financial advice — consider consulting an FCA-regulated financial adviser.
Contents
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 (approx.)
Annual
Full new state pension
£241.30
£1,046
£12,547.60
Increase from 2025/26
+£11.05
+£48
+£574.60
Percentage increase
4.8%
4.8%
4.8%
Basic State Pension Rates
Rate
Weekly
Monthly (approx.)
Annual
Full basic state pension
£184.90
£801
£9,614.80
Increase from 2025/26
+£8.45
+£36
+£439.40
Percentage increase
4.8%
4.8%
4.8%
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
Reference period
Figure
Used for Increase?
Average earnings growth
May–July 2025
4.8%
✓ Yes (highest)
CPI inflation
September 2025
3.8%
No
Minimum guarantee
—
2.5%
No
The triple lock takes the highest of these three figures. The precise uprating factor applied by DWP to the full new State Pension was 4.7991%, which rounds to 4.8%.
Historical Triple Lock Decisions
Year
Increase
Based On
April 2022
3.1%
CPI (earnings temporarily suspended due to COVID-era distortions)
April 2023
10.1%
CPI inflation
April 2024
8.5%
Earnings growth
April 2025
4.1%
Earnings growth
April 2026
4.8%
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%
£241.30
30 years
86%
£206.83
25 years
71%
£172.36
20 years
57%
£137.89
15 years
43%
£103.41
10 years
29%
£68.94
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 (Category D)
£110.75/week (2026/27)
Non-contributory, if you have little/no other pension
Protected Payment
If you had high additional state pension before 2016:
Situation
Outcome
Entitlement exceeded £241.30/week (full new State Pension)
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 (illustrative)
State Pension % Used
Average rent (UK, 1-bed)
£750
72%
Council tax (Band D)
£175
17%
Energy bills
£125
12%
Food/groceries
£300
29%
Basic costs
£1,350
129%
These living cost figures are illustrative estimates rather than official statistics and will vary by region — but the comparison shows 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 (2026/27)
Annual
Single
£238.00
£12,376.00
Couple
£363.25
£18,889.00
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
The uprated rate applied from the start of the 2026/27 tax year (6 April 2026). Your first payment at the new rate depends on your individual payment cycle — check gov.uk or your award notice for your exact date if this matters to your budgeting.
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
£230.25/week
4.1%
2026/27
£241.30/week
4.8%
Cumulative Increase (2020/21 to 2026/27)
Period
Percentage
Cash Increase
2020/21 to 2026/27
+37.7%
+£66.10/week
2020/21 to 2026/27 (annual)
+£3,437.20/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
The State Pension is one of the largest single items of government spending, and its cost is rising as a share of the budget partly because of the triple lock. Precise year-by-year expenditure figures are published by the OBR and in DWP’s annual accounts, and are revised at each fiscal event — check the OBR Economic and Fiscal Outlook or DWP annual report and accounts for the current official estimate rather than relying on a fixed figure here, as these projections change with each Budget.
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
£18.40/week per year bought (2026/27)
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, 2026/27)
£956.80
Extra pension per year
£358.50 (approx, £241.30 ÷ 35 × 52)
Years to break even
2.7 years
Average retirement length
20+ years
Total extra pension (20 years)
£7,170+
For most people, buying qualifying years is excellent value — but always check with the Future Pension Centre first that a specific year will actually increase your forecast.
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
£12,547.60
Private pension
£10,000
Total income
£22,547.60
Personal allowance
-£12,570
Taxable
£9,977.60
Tax at 20%
£1,995.52
If state pension is your only income, you’re below the personal allowance — no tax due.