The basic State Pension is now worth up to £184.90 per week (Image: Getty)
Older state pensioners across the UK are set to receive up to £739.60 from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in August thanks to a triple lock change earlier this year.
The State Pension rises at the start of each new tax year, with the new rates being determined by the triple lock – a UK government guarantee that the State Pension will go up every April by whichever is the highest out of three measures: the consumer price index (CPI) measure of inflation (measured for September the year before), average wage growth between May and July of the previous year, or 2.5%. For the 2026 to 2027 tax year, both the basic and new State Pension have increased in line with average wage growth at 4.8%, as this was the highest out of three metrics. The DWP confirmed that the 4.8% triple lock boost will give older pensioners claiming the basic State Pension approximately £439.40 extra per year, with this being based on a full National Insurance record.
The new rates came into effect on April 6 and pensioners will continue to reap the benefits of these higher State Pension payments in August – and every month that follows until next April.
For older state pensioners claiming the basic State Pension, weekly payments are now worth a maximum of £184.90 per week, up from £176.45 previously. As the State Pension is paid every four weeks, those who qualify for the full amount can get up to £739.60 from the DWP in each four-week period.
Over a full year, the 4.8% increase amounts to a maximum of £9,614.80 in basic State Pension payments, up from £9,175.40, giving those eligible for the full rate an extra £439.40 annually.
Of course, you need to have a certain number of qualifying years of National Insurance to get this full amount, which for a man is usually 30 qualifying years if you were born between 1945 and 1951, or 44 qualifying years if you were born before 1945.
For women, you’ll need 30 qualifying years if you were born between 1950 and 1953, or 39 qualifying years if you were born before 1950.
If you have less than the full number of qualifying National Insurance years then your basic State Pension will be less than £739.60 every four weeks in the 2026/27 tax year.
Confirming the new rates at the end of last year, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Pat McFadden said: “I am pleased to announce that the basic and new State Pensions will be increased by 4.8%, in line with the increase in average weekly earnings in the year to May-July 2025.
“This delivers on our commitment to the Triple Lock, increasing these rates in line with the highest of growth in prices, growth in earnings or 2.5%.
“From April, the full annual rate of the new State Pension will increase by around £575. The full annual rate of the basic State Pension will increase by around £440.”
Pensioners can determine when the DWP will issue their State Pension payment in August by checking their National Insurance number, as the last two digits correspond to the day of the week that payments are issued.
Some payments may be disrupted this month due to the late summer bank holiday on August 31, with pensioners expecting a payment on this date to instead be paid three days early on Friday, August 28.
The DWP said: “You’ll be asked when you want to start getting your State Pension when you claim. Your first payment will be no later than 5 weeks after the date you choose. You’ll get a full payment every 4 weeks after that.
“You might get part of a payment before your first full payment. The letter confirming your State Pension payment will tell you what to expect.
“The day your pension is paid depends on your National Insurance number. You might be paid earlier if your normal payment day is a bank holiday.”