Older state pensioners will be given a cash boost of around £33.80 extra per month following a triple lock change in April.

The UK government has committed to the triple lock for the duration of this parliament and this determines how much State Pension rates increase at the start of each new tax year. The triple lock encompasses three different measures – the consumer price index (CPI) measure of inflation (measured for September in the previous year), average wage growth between May and July of the previous year, or 2.5%. Whichever is the highest out of these three factors is what determines how much the State Pension will rise in the new tax year.

As average wage growth was the highest at 4.8%, both State Pension rates will rise by this amount from April 6. Last month MPs approved a pensions motion confirming the 4.8% rise from April, cementing the government’s commitment to the triple lock, but as the UK’s State Pension system is split into two schemes – basic and new – the amount that pension payments will increase from April 6, 2026, depends on when you retired.

Men born before April 6, 1951, and women born before April 6, 1953, receive the basic State Pension and will see their pension payments increase by 4.8% from April 6.

The increase will take the full basic State Pension up from the current rate of £176.45 per week to £184.90, giving pensioners a weekly cash boost of £8.45.

As the State Pension is typically paid every four weeks, it means pensioners on the full rate will see monthly payments rise from around £705.80 to £739.60 – an increase of £33.80 per month.

Over a full year, this amounts to a total of £9,614.80 in pension payments (up from £9.175.40), giving pensioners on the full rate an extra £439.40 annually.

But of course whether you get the maximum amount from April will depend on your National Insurance record. To get the full £184.90 per week, a man born between 1945 and 1951 usually requires 30 qualifying National Insurance years, while men born before 1945 require 44 qualifying years.

For women, you’ll need 30 qualifying years if you were born between 1950 and 1953, or 39 qualifying years if you were born before 1950.

If you have less than the full number of qualifying National Insurance years then your basic State Pension will be less than £184.90 per week from April.

As for those getting the new State Pension, the weekly rate will rise from £230.25 to £241.30 from April 6, giving pensioners a weekly increase of £11.05, or around £44.20 per month, which amounts to an extra £575 overall per year if you get the full rate.

The figures are based on the maximum possible amount for those with a full qualifying National Insurance record, so those without enough qualifying years will receive less.

Alongside the State Pension increase, MPs have also backed proposals to increase other inflation-linked benefits and tax credits by 3.8% from April.

The Universal Credit standard allowances will also get an additional uplift of 2.3% after the Commons passed a social security motion last month.

Work and Pensions minister Sir Stephen Timms told the Commons in February: “Changes will mainly come into effect from 6 April this year and apply for the tax year 2026-27.

“The order maintains the triple lock – which benefits pensioners in receipt of both the basic and new State Pensions – raises the level of the safety net in pension credit beyond the increase in prices, increases the rates of benefit for those in the labour market, and increases the rates of carers benefits and benefits to help with additional costs arising from disability or health impairment.”