News Beat
DWP confirms exact amount pensions will increase to in 2026
Every autumn, the chancellor sets a budget that includes how much the Department for Work and Pensions will pay to claimants the following tax year, which starts on April 6 2026.
For those payments that are for people over State Pension Age and receive New State Pension, Basic State Pension or Pension Credit, they should see an increase tied to the Triple Lock.
How much will pensions go up by in 2026?
The government has now confirmed the full rates for 2026/27 will be:
- £241.30 per week for the new State Pension (for those reaching State Pension age on or after 6 April 2016) – up from £230.25 in 2025/26.
- £184.90 per week for the basic State Pension (the core amount in the old State Pension system) – up from £176.45 in 2025/26.
Why do pensions go up every year?
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions is required to review the level of benefits and State Pensions each year to make sure pensioners’ incomes keep pace with average earnings and prices in shops.
The basic and new State Pensions will be uprated by 4.8% from April 2026, in line with the annual increase in the Average Weekly Earnings (AWE) index for May–July 2025.
For pensioners who receive ‘additional state pension’ (also known as SERPS or State Second Pension) on top of their basic pension, this additional element will be increased in line with the CPI figure.
What is the Triple Lock?
Under the triple lock system, the state pension increases each April in line with whichever of three measures is the highest:
- inflation in September of the previous year, using a measure called the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) – this year, that is 3.8%
- The average increase in total wages across the UK for May to July of the previous year, this year, is 4.8%
- or 2.5%
The triple lock was introduced by the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government in 2010.
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It was designed to ensure the value of the state pension wasn’t overtaken by the increase in the cost of living or the incomes of working people.
Under this calculation, the state pension is set to rise by 4.8% in April 2026.
Former Pensions Minister Steve Webb, now a partner at pension consultants LCP, said: “With households continuing to face a high cost of living and further increases in bills such as Council Tax, these annual upratings are vital to make sure that pensioner living standards are protected against inflation.”
