Older state pensioners can receive up to £1,661.76 every four weeks by combining their basic state pension with Additional Pension (AP) payments, a scheme closed to new retirees since 2016. This amount exceeds the maximum weekly rate of the new state pension, which stands at £241.30 per week for those who reached state pension age after April 2016.
How the Payments Work
The old basic state pension, for those who reached state pension age before April 2016 with a full National Insurance record, is currently worth up to £184.90 per week. On top of this, eligible pensioners can receive Additional Pension payments, which include schemes like the State Earnings Related Pension Scheme (SERPS) and the Second State Pension. These were available before the basic state pension was phased out and replaced by the new state pension in 2016.
Although new retirees can no longer claim AP, those who participated in the schemes—usually through work—can still receive payments from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) every four weeks. The maximum AP payment is capped at £230.54 per week from April, nearly matching the new state pension rate.
Combining Payments for Maximum Payout
State pension payments are actually made every four weeks, though often quoted as weekly figures. For AP alone, this means up to £922.16 per four-week period. When combined with the basic state pension, the total can reach £1,661.76 per four-week period, assuming the pensioner has maximised both their National Insurance record and AP entitlement.
Consumer magazine Which? explains: “The amount of additional state pension you'll get depends on how many years you paid National Insurance for, how much you earned and whether you contracted out of the scheme. The maximum additional state pension you can get in 2026-27 is £230.54 a week (not including state pension top-up).”
Tax Implications
These AP payments are not exempt from tax and will not receive a special exemption in the future, as revealed exclusively by the Express.
