Some older state pensioners will receive a bumper £1,844.32 from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in August 2026. This is because they will get two 'Additional Pension' (AP) payments on top of their basic state pension amounts.
Those who retired before April 2016 receive less per week in basic payments than new state pensioners, but they are eligible for a range of Additional Pension payments that post-2016 state pensioners are not.
What is Additional Pension?
Additional Pension is an umbrella term for extra pension schemes that older state pensioners could use before the basic state pension was phased out and replaced in 2016 with the new state pension. AP includes schemes like the State Earnings Related Pension Scheme (SERPS) and the Second State Pension.
Although it can no longer be claimed by those retiring now, those who took part in the schemes, usually through work, can still get AP payments from the DWP every week.
How Much Can Be Paid?
The maximum AP payment is capped at £230.54 per week from April 2026, on top of the normal basic pension amount. While state pension figures are often reported weekly, the DWP actually pays state pension every four weeks.
This means that for each four-week period, older state pensioners can get up to £922.16 from their AP payments. Exactly when you're paid depends on the last two digits of your National Insurance (NI) number.
Who Gets Paid Twice in August?
According to the DWP, those whose NI number ends in digits between 00 and 19 are normally paid on Mondays. Because August 2026 has five Mondays, state pensioners with these NI numbers will get their AP payments twice in August, for a total maximum of £1,844.32, on top of their basic pension.
Consumer magazine Which? explains: “Before 2002, you could only contribute to the additional state pension (then known as the state earnings-related pension scheme, or Serps) if you were employed.”
“However, under the state second pension scheme, which ran from 2002 to 2016, you could contribute through your National Insurance contributions if you were: an employee earning at least £113 a week; caring for one or more children under 12 and claiming child benefit; claiming carer's credit; or claiming certain disability-related benefits.”
It adds: “There is no fixed amount for the additional state pension. 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).”
Unfortunately, these AP payments are not exempt from tax and will not be given a special exemption in future, as revealed exclusively by the Express.
