The state pension, alongside other Department for Work and Pensions benefits, rises at the beginning of each new tax year to reflect changes in living costs. The Government has announced the precise figures for recipients of both the basic and new state pensions.

The new tax year commences on April 6, 2026, and due to the Triple Lock guarantee, state pension payments will rise by 4.8% on this occasion. This aligns with the annual earnings growth recorded between May and July of the previous year.

Full rates for 2026/2027:

• New state pension: £241.30


• Basic state pension: £184.90

These weekly amounts represent an uplift from £230.25 and £176.45 per week respectively. Which state pension you're entitled to depends on when you reached state pension age.

People who reached state pension age on or after April 6, 2016 will receive the new state pension, whilst those who reached this threshold before that date remain on the old basic state pension scheme.

Within the new state pension framework, the precise amount you receive in your payments is determined by the number of 'qualifying years' on your National Insurance record. To receive the full sum, you'll require approximately 35 qualifying years.

These qualifying years can comprise National Insurance contributions paid through employment, or National Insurance credits from benefits such as Carer's Allowance or Jobseeker's Allowance. A minimum of 10 years is necessary to qualify for any portion of the new state pension.

To qualify for the basic state pension, you require between 30 and 44 qualifying years, depending on your birth date and whether you're male or female.

Concerns have been raised about the new rates set to take effect from April 2026 due to their closeness to the personal allowance. The full new state pension for 2026/2027 will amount to £12,547.60, whilst the personal allowance is currently set at £12,570 per annum.

Income exceeding this allowance typically incurs income tax charges, with the OBR stating that 600,000 pensioners will be liable for tax following this year's state pension increase. With another rise in the state pension expected in April 2027, likely reducing the £23 difference between the state pension and the personal allowance, there are fears it could become a taxable benefit.

However, the Chancellor of the Exchequer reassured in the last Budget that if the state pension does surpass the personal allowance, people whose only income is the state pension won't be required to pay 'small amounts' of tax.