The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed that the new full state pension will increase to £965 per month for recipients aged 66 to 75. This applies to women born after 1953 and men born after 1951.
Pension increase details
The full flat-rate pension for those who reached state pension age from April 2016 onwards will rise by 4.8%, from £230.25 to £241.30 per week. This represents an annual increase of £575, bringing the total to £12,548 per year.
To receive this amount, individuals must be at least 66 years old (or approaching their 66th birthday) and have made sufficient National Insurance contributions during their working life. Alternatively, they may have purchased voluntary NI top-ups or received credits from the government for caring responsibilities or other reasons.
National Insurance requirements
Until April 2016, workers needed 30 years of qualifying National Insurance contributions to receive the full basic state pension. However, everyone retiring since then typically requires 35 years of contributions to qualify for the new flat-rate state pension.
Even if you have paid contributions for 35 years or more, contracting out of additional state pension entitlements (such as S2P and Serps) for some years may still reduce the amount you receive. A minimum of 10 qualifying years is needed to receive any state pension.
Payment changes and bank holidays
The next bank holiday in England takes place in August, which may affect payment dates for some DWP benefits. Households whose usual payment dates fall outside of bank holidays will not be affected and should receive their cash as usual. Affected individuals may need to budget carefully to ensure they have enough funds until their next scheduled payment.
Government statement
Labour Party 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."
