State pensioners will receive another handy triple lock boost from April, with various elements of DWP payouts automatically increased for inflation as of April 2027. However, not all state pension payments will be increased in line with the triple lock. In fact, many won’t be increased at all.
Many don’t realise that only certain state pension payments are increased in line with the triple lock, while others only increase by smaller amounts and some won’t be increased at all.
Despite plans laid out by Prime Minister Andy Burnham to axe the triple lock and replace it with a lesser ‘double lock’ from 2030, for now the financial instrument that sees state pension payments automatically increased every tax year will stay in place for at least another three years.
But other payments made to state pensioners this coming winter and beyond are not going to be increased in April 2027, when the new tax year kicks in and brings a boost to both the state pension and Pension Credit.
The most significant pension age benefit not increasing is the Winter Fuel Payment. This will remain between £150 and £300, depending on your circumstances. For a single state pensioner, it pays £200 unless you’re over 80, when it goes up to £300. However, these amounts are not triple-locked and are not increased each year. Despite energy bills increasing year-on-year and inflation, the amounts remain the same.
This means that, due to inflation currently running at 3.5%, the Winter Fuel Payment is reduced by 3.5% in real terms. At the same time, energy bill forecasts indicate Ofgem price rises approaching a staggering 28% from January 1, or a £465 increase, so the payments themselves won’t even cover the increase in bills.
Another benefit not being increased is the Christmas Bonus. The £10 cash payment is given to those claiming various DWP benefits, including the state pension. But it has never been increased in line with inflation even once since its introduction, making what was once a reasonable payment to cover Christmas costs now a nigh-on insulting payout.
Another pension payment not being increased is the Over-80s addition.
This is a 25p-per-week uplift given to state pensioners by the DWP when they turn 80. Yes, twenty-five pence. It means that a state pensioner can collect an extra £13 a year in their state pension once they turn 80, and this has never been increased since its introduction.
No announcement of any increase to this payment was made by the DWP or the Secretary of State for Pensions, Pat McFadden, and these elements are not covered in his Statutory Review, so won’t be uplifted next April with other payments.
Announcing pension boosts, he told Parliament as part of his Statutory Review: “I am pleased to announce that the basic and full rate of the new state pensions will be increased by 3.9%, in line with the increase in average weekly earnings in the year to May-July 2026.
“This delivers on our triple lock commitment throughout this Parliament to increase 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 £490. The full annual rate of the basic state pension will increase by around £375.”
He added: “Other state pension and benefit rates covered by my statutory review will be increased by 3.5%, in line with the increase in the consumer prices index in the year to September 2026.”
