New state pensioners aged 77 and under across the UK are set to receive payments of up to £965.20 from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in July, following the latest triple lock increase. The full new State Pension has risen to £241.30 per week, up from £230.25, reflecting a 4.8% increase based on average earnings growth.
Who Qualifies for the New State Pension?
Men born before April 6, 1951, and women born before April 6, 1953, receive the basic State Pension. Anyone born after these dates receives the new State Pension instead. New state pensioners are those who reached State Pension age from April 6, 2016, when the qualifying age was set at 63 to 65. The age has since risen to 66, meaning new state pensioners are now all under 77.
The State Pension age is currently increasing from 66 to 67, introduced gradually in one-month increments. Individuals with a 66th birthday between May 6, 1960, and June 5, 1960, become eligible to claim the new State Pension in July at the 2026/27 rates, when they are exactly 66 years and two months old.
Payment Amounts and Schedule
The State Pension is paid every four weeks, so those qualifying for the full amount can expect payments of £965.20 from the DWP in each four-week period. Over a full year, the 4.8% increase amounts to £12,547.60 in pension payments, up from £11,973, giving pensioners eligible for the full rate an extra £574.60 annually.
These figures are based on the maximum possible amount for those with a full qualifying National Insurance record. Those without enough qualifying years will receive less than £965.20 every four weeks in the 2026/27 tax year.
Official Confirmation of the Increase
Confirming the new rates at the end of last year, 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.”
Payment Dates and National Insurance Numbers
State Pensioners can determine when their usual payment date from the DWP will fall in July by checking their National Insurance number. The final two digits correspond to the day of the week that payments are normally issued.
The DWP said: “You’ll be asked when you want to start getting your State Pension when you claim. Your first payment will be no later than 5 weeks after the date you choose. You’ll get a full payment every 4 weeks after that. You might get part of a payment before your first full payment. The letter confirming your State Pension payment will tell you what to expect. The day your pension is paid depends on your National Insurance number. You might be paid earlier if your normal payment day is a bank holiday.”
