State pensioners receiving the basic rate can get up to £922 a month on top of their usual Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) payment through the Additional State Pension. This extra sum is available to men born before 6 April 1951 and women born before 6 April 1953, according to official guidance.
Who qualifies for the Additional State Pension?
The Additional State Pension is an extra amount paid alongside the basic State Pension. Eligibility depends on your date of birth: men must have been born before 6 April 1951, and women before 6 April 1953. Those born on or after these dates receive the new State Pension instead and do not qualify for the Additional State Pension, although they may still inherit part of a partner's Additional State Pension.
The maximum additional pension, combining both your own entitlement and any inherited amount, stands at £230.54 per week, which equates to £922 per month. This figure was confirmed in the latest DWP guidance.
How the amount is calculated
There is no fixed sum for the Additional State Pension. The amount you receive depends on several factors: the number of years you paid National Insurance, your earnings during your working life, whether you contracted out of the scheme, and whether you topped up your basic State Pension. Topping up was only possible between 12 October 2015 and 5 April 2017.
You will not receive the Additional State Pension if you reached State Pension age on or after 6 April 2016, as you will get the new State Pension instead. However, if you reached State Pension age before that date and started claiming the basic State Pension, you will automatically receive any Additional State Pension you are eligible for, with no separate claim required.
Automatic payment and inheritance rules
Eligible pensioners do not need to take any action to claim the Additional State Pension. It is paid automatically with the basic State Pension into your bank account. After you claim your State Pension, the Pension Service will write to you confirming how much you are receiving. You may not receive Additional State Pension for periods when you were contracted out.
If your spouse or civil partner dies, you may be able to inherit part of their Additional State Pension. You can inherit up to 50% of their State Second Pension. To check what you can claim and how, contact the Pension Service directly.
