Overview
- Analysis of ONS data by Just Group finds about 740,000 single retirees and 500,000 two‑adult retired households receive at least three quarters of their income from the state pension or related benefits.
- The full new state pension pays £11,973 a year versus Pensions UK’s £13,400 ‘minimum’ benchmark, a gap Just Group translates into a ‘State Pension Shortfall Day’ falling on November 22.
- DWP figures indicate roughly 900,000–910,000 eligible households are not claiming Pension Credit worth about £4,300 a year on average, with officials urging checks via the GOV.UK calculator or helpline.
- Under the triple lock, payments will rise by 4.8% from April 2026 to £241.30 a week for the full new state pension and £184.90 for the basic rate, with around 35 qualifying NI years typically needed for the full amount.
- Legacy entitlements mean some on the old system receive higher average payments, and experts advise checking state pension forecasts, considering deferral, and reviewing options to buy back missing NI years.