State pensioners receiving the full basic State Pension are now getting an extra £34 a month after rates increased in April. The full weekly amount rose from £176.45 to £184.90, an increase of £8.45, which adds up to £439.40 over a full year.
Who qualifies for the basic State Pension
The basic State Pension applies to men born before April 6, 1951, and women born before April 6, 1953. Anyone born on or after those dates falls under the new State Pension system instead.
However, not everyone on the basic State Pension receives the full £184.90 each week. The amount someone gets depends largely on their National Insurance record and the number of qualifying years they built up during their working life.
Qualifying years and payment amounts
A qualifying year can come from working and paying National Insurance, receiving National Insurance credits, or making voluntary contributions. Credits can be given in certain circumstances, including when someone was unemployed, sick, or looking after children or another person.
The number of years needed for the full amount varies. Men born between 1945 and 1951 usually need 30 qualifying years for the full basic State Pension, while those born before 1945 generally need 44. Women born between 1950 and 1953 usually need 30 years, while women born before 1950 generally need 39.
People with fewer qualifying years may still receive a State Pension, but the amount they get could be lower. Those under the newer system have also received an increase this year, with the full new State Pension rising from £230.25 a week to £241.30 from April 2026.
