A state pension crisis looms as over 200,000 people could get less than £115 a week.A state pension crisis looms as over 200,000 people could get less than £115 a week.A state pension crisis looms as over 200,000 people could get less than £115 a week.

Some state pensioners are having their Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) payments cut to £115 a week. A state pension crisis looms as over 200,000 people could get less than £115 a week.

State pensioners, who are born before 1959, so over the age of 66, generally need 35 qualifying years of National Insurance contributions to receive the full new state pension.

But more than two million pensioners across the UK are missing out on the full state pension, with some getting less than £115 a week, new figures show. Around 45 per cent of those claiming the new state pension are missing out on thousands of pounds each year.

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More than two million pensioners are receiving less than the full new state pension, which stands at £11,973 a year, or £230.25 a week for 2025/26. And over 200,000 pensioners are receiving less than half the full new state pension, which is less than £115 a week.

Stephen Lowe, group communications director at retirement specialist Just Group, said: “The State Pension is the bedrock of retirement income for millions of retired households. It’s easy to see why people may assume they’ll simply get the full State Pension, but for many people this won’t be the case.

“The last thing these households need when they come to retire is the nasty surprise that their State Pension is less than they thought.

“The government offers a State Pension forecast service and we urge anyone approaching retirement to use it – ideally in advance of beginning to retire. It will tell you if you are likely to receive less State Pension than you thought and that will give you the opportunity to take steps to increase what you will actually receive.

“There are a number of factors that affect the total value of an individual’s State Pension. People may be missing National Insurance credits because they were claiming benefits whilst they were ill, unemployed or for other such reasons. Going back to fill these gaps in your National Insurance record or buying extra credits can shore up the State Pension you’re entitled to receive.

“Getting an accurate, up to date picture of what income you can expect in retirement is an important first step in planning later life finances.”