Government is facing growing calls to review the state pension triple lock, the I newspaper has reported.
DWP told to ‘end’ state pension perk given to all 13 million people who claim
The Department for Work and Pensions has been told to “end” a state pension triple lock perk. The Labour Party government is facing growing calls to review the state pension triple lock, the I newspaper has reported.
The guarantee, which ensures the state pension rises in line with whichever is highest of inflation, wage increases or 2.5 per cent, is “becoming increasingly expensive as the population ages and the tax burden on working-age people grows”, experts said. 13 million people currently receive the state pension.
Paul Ovenden – who was Starmer’s director of strategy in No 10 from July 2024 to September 2025 – said: “We don’t have to keep picking the pockets of the productive parts of our economy in order to fund inflation-busting pension increases for millionaires or an unsustainable welfare system.”
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Jon Greer, head of retirement policy at the wealth management company Quilter, told The i Paper: “The triple lock is becoming increasingly expensive as the population ages and the tax burden on working-age people grows.
“Its volatility has also become more apparent in recent years, with temporary spikes in inflation and wage growth triggering unusually large increases in the state pension. These events pull the policy’s shortcomings sharply into focus.
“Many pensioners are still feeling the effects of the cost of living crisis, and protecting their incomes resonates with voters. But there is a growing debate about fairness.
“A system designed to protect against poverty now benefits all pensioners equally, regardless of income. Meanwhile, younger generations face rising taxes, weaker job security and less generous private pensions.
“Labour’s planned review of the pensions and retirement savings framework offers a crucial opportunity to look again at whether the triple lock remains fit for purpose.
“One potential reform is to link increases solely to earnings, helping align pension growth with the wider economy and creating a more predictable and affordable system.”
Mr Greer added: “Although there appears to be no element of the pension review looking specifically at the triple lock it would be sensible to consider the policy not in isolation but as part of a wider retirement strategy that balances support for today’s pensioners with fairness for future generations.
“The political risks are clear, but so too is the economic case for reform.”