What is the full new State Pension 2026/27?

The full new State Pension for 2026/27 is £241.30 per week, equivalent to £12,548 per year. You receive the full amount if you have 35 qualifying years of National Insurance contributions.

What is the State Pension age in 2026?

The State Pension age began rising from 66 to 67 on 6 April 2026. If you were born before 6 April 1960, your State Pension age is still 66. If born on or after 6 March 1961, it is 67. Those born between those dates have a transitional State Pension age.

Is the State Pension taxable in 2026?

Yes. The State Pension counts as taxable income. The full new State Pension of £12,548/year is just £22 below the frozen Personal Allowance of £12,570. Any additional private pension income on top will be taxed at the basic rate (20%) or higher.

How many National Insurance years do I need for the full State Pension?

You need 35 qualifying years of National Insurance contributions to receive the full new State Pension. You need a minimum of 10 qualifying years to receive anything. You can check your NI record and State Pension forecast on GOV.UK.

Full New State Pension Weekly Rate 2026/27 — £241.30/week (£12,548/year)

Q: How much will the State Pension be in 2026?

The full new State Pension in 2026/27 is £241.30 per week (£12,548 per year), from 6 April 2026. This is a 4.8% increase under the triple lock. The basic State Pension (for those who reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016) rose to £184.90 per week.

Q: When did the new State Pension rate start?

The £241.30/week rate applies from 6 April 2026, the start of the 2026/27 tax year. Payments are made every four weeks in arrears, so the first full payment at the new rate reaches most pensioners in early May 2026.

Q: How much more is the State Pension in 2026 than in 2025?

The full new State Pension rose by £575 per year (£11,973 to £12,548) — an increase of £11.05 per week (£230.25 to £241.30). The 4.8% uplift was determined by the triple lock, with earnings growth being the highest of the three measures for 2026/27.

Key numbers at a glance

Full new State Pension weekly rate: £241.30/week
Full new State Pension annual amount: £12,548/year
Basic State Pension (pre-2016): £184.90/week (£9,615/year)
Triple-lock uplift for 2026/27: +4.8% (earnings growth)
State Pension age: 66 → 67 (phased by date of birth)
NI years for full amount: 35 (minimum 10 qualifying years)
Personal Allowance: £12,570 (frozen) — full new State Pension now sits just £22 below

New State Pension rates from April 2026

From 6 April 2026, the full new State Pension increased by 4.8% under the triple lock guarantee. Here are the new weekly and annual amounts:

Pension type	2025/26	2026/27	Increase
Full new State Pension	£230.25/week	£241.30/week	+4.8%
Annual equivalent	£11,973/year	£12,548/year	+£575
Basic State Pension (old)	£176.45/week	£184.90/week	+4.8%

The increase was determined by the triple lock, which uprates the State Pension by the highest of average earnings growth, CPI inflation, or 2.5%. For 2026/27, earnings growth of 4.8% was the highest measure.

Want to see how the new State Pension fits into your overall retirement income? Model your retirement income →

State Pension age rising from 66 to 67

The State Pension age began its phased increase from 66 to 67 on 6 April 2026. The change is being rolled out gradually based on date of birth:

If you were born before 6 April 1960, your State Pension age is 66 (no change).
If you were born between 6 April 1960 and 5 March 1961, your State Pension age increases in monthly steps from 66 to 67.
If you were born on or after 6 March 1961, your State Pension age is 67.

You can check your exact State Pension age on the GOV.UK State Pension age calculator.

Tax-free allowances remain frozen

While the State Pension has increased, income tax thresholds remain frozen for 2026/27:

Threshold	Amount	Change
Personal Allowance	£12,570	Frozen
Basic rate band	£12,571 – £50,270	Frozen
Higher rate band	£50,271 – £125,140	Frozen
Additional rate	Above £125,140	Frozen

This means more of the State Pension falls within the Personal Allowance, but the gap is narrowing. At £12,548, the full new State Pension is now just £22 below the Personal Allowance. Any additional income — even modest private pension drawdown — will be taxed at the basic rate.

Other pension changes to watch

Pension inheritance tax (April 2027): Unused pension funds and some death benefits will be included in your estate for IHT purposes. This is a significant change for anyone planning to leave pension wealth to beneficiaries.
Cash ISA limit reduction (April 2027): The annual cash ISA allowance for under-65s drops from £20,000 to £12,000. The remaining £8,000 of the total ISA allowance must go into stocks & shares or other ISA types.
Minimum pension access age (April 2028): The minimum age to access private pension funds rises from 55 to 57. If you're planning early retirement, factor this into your timeline.

What does this mean for your retirement income?

The State Pension increase is good news — an extra £575 per year in retirement. But with frozen tax thresholds, the benefit is partly offset by the narrowing gap between pension income and the Personal Allowance.

The key question for most people is: how much additional income can I sustainably draw from my private pension and savings? The answer depends on your pot size, retirement age, growth assumptions, and how long you need it to last.

Try the free pension calculator →

Frequently asked questions

How much will the State Pension be in 2026?

The full new State Pension in 2026/27 is £241.30 per week (£12,548 per year), from 6 April 2026 — a 4.8% triple-lock rise. The basic State Pension (pre-2016 retirees) rose to £184.90/week.

What is the full state pension 2026/27?

£241.30 per week (£12,548 per year). You receive the full amount if you have 35 qualifying National Insurance years. Fewer years means a proportionally reduced amount, down to a minimum of 10 qualifying years.

How much will the state pension be 2026–2027 in total?

Over the full 2026/27 tax year (April 2026 to April 2027), the full new State Pension pays £12,548. This is paid every 4 weeks directly into your bank account.

Is the State Pension taxable?

Yes. The State Pension counts as taxable income. At £12,548 it sits just £22 below the frozen Personal Allowance (£12,570), so any additional private pension income will be taxed at the basic rate (20%) from the first pound.

How many NI years do I need?

35 qualifying years for the full amount; at least 10 to receive anything. You can check your National Insurance record and State Pension forecast for free on GOV.UK.

When did the new State Pension rate start?

The £241.30/week rate applies from 6 April 2026, the start of the 2026/27 tax year. Payments are made every four weeks into your bank account, so the first full payment at the new rate reaches most pensioners in early May 2026.

How is the State Pension paid?

The State Pension is paid every 4 weeks in arrears directly into your bank or building-society account. Your payment day depends on the last two digits of your National Insurance number. Over a full 2026/27 tax year, you receive 13 payments totalling £12,548.

How much more is the State Pension in 2026 than in 2025?

£575 more per year (£11,973 → £12,548) — an increase of £11.05/week (£230.25 → £241.30). The 4.8% uplift was set by the triple lock; earnings growth was the highest of the three measures (earnings, CPI, 2.5%).