State pension payments will go out as expected on Monday, December 29, and Tuesday, December 30.
State pensioners born after 1951 being handed unexpected £921 in 48 hours
State pensioners born after 1951 or 1953 are being handed £921 before the end of the week. State pension payments will go out as expected on Monday, December 29, and Tuesday, December 30.
But if your payment is due Thursday, January 1, then the payment date has been brought forward to Wednesday, 31 December. Likewise, if you’re being paid on Friday, 2 January in Scotland, you will also receive payments on Wednesday instead.
State pensioners born after 1951, if they’re man, and 1953, if they’re women, earn £921 a month thanks to the DWP Full and New State Pension rate.
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The amount you’ll get from the State Pension went up in April 2025. This is because the government has kept the triple lock – which came back into effect in 2023 after having been suspended.
The State Pension increased by 4.1%, in line with average earnings growth between May-July 2024. The rise was confirmed in last year’s Autumn Budget and affects people eligible for the new flat-rate State Pension, which was introduced in April 2016, or the older basic State Pension.
The rise means that those qualifying for a full new State Pension now receive £230.25 a week (up from £221.20). And those who reached State Pension age before April 2016, who are on the older basic State Pension, now receive £176.45 – up from £169.50.
In a warning for retirees, Standard Life said: “Even with the rise in April, a full new State Pension is £11,973 a year. Keep in mind that the Retirement Living Standards suggest a single person would need £14,400 a year to cover just a ‘minimum’ retirement lifestyle.
“The reality is there’s a significant gap between what you get from the State Pension and what you may actually need or want in retirement.
“The State Pension alone will only cover a very basic lifestyle and, because it only starts in your late 60s, won’t help to support you if you want to retire earlier. So it should only be a part of your overall retirement plan. Also bear in mind that it can be subject to tax.
“It’s important to fully understand how much you might need to be able to afford the retirement you want.”