Eligible couples will benefit from boosted payments.
The joint weekly Pension Credit rate will rise to £377.40 from April (Image: Getty)
State pensioner couples on low incomes will be given higher payments of up to £377.40 per week from next April by Andy Burnham’s Government, it has been confirmed.
The higher payments come from a 3.9% boost to Pension Credit rates in the 2027 to 2028 tax year, the same increase as both the basic and new State Pension. The 3.9% uplift is in line with the increase in average weekly earnings and will take the joint weekly Pension Credit rate from £363.25 up to £377.40 from April. This amounts to a weekly payment increase of up to £14.15, or a maximum of £735.80 extra per year. The rate for single pensioners will also rise by 3.9% from April, going up from its current weekly rate of £238 to £247.30.
Confirming the new rates from April, Pat McFadden, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, said: “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.
“The standard minimum guarantee in Pension Credit will also increase by 3.9% in line with the increase in average weekly earnings. From April, it will be £247.30 a week for a single pensioner and £377.40 a week for a couple, ensuring the incomes of the poorest pensioners are protected.”
To claim Pension Credit, you must have reached State Pension age, be on a low income and live in England, Scotland or Wales. When you apply, your income is calculated and this takes into account your State Pension, other pensions, savings, earnings and any social security benefits you might get, so this can affect your eligibility, or reduce your payments.
If you have a partner, you must include them on your application and you’ll be eligible if either you and your partner have both reached State Pension age, and one of you is getting Housing Benefit for people over State Pension age.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) defines a partner as either your husband, wife or civil partner, if you live with them, or someone you live with as a couple, without being married or in a civil partnership.
When you apply for Pension Credit, if you have a partner your income is calculated together. In the current tax year, if your joint total weekly income is under £363.25 then you’re likely to be eligible, but this level will rise to £377.40 from April.
If your income is higher, you may still qualify for the benefit if you have a disability, you care for someone, you have savings or you have housing costs.
According to the DWP, around 1.4 million pensioners households are already benefiting from Pension Credit and will get higher payments from April, but hundreds of thousands of eligible pensioners may still be missing out on the vital support.
To boost take-up, the DWP last month began sending out letters to 660,000 households urging pensioners to check their Pension Credit eligibility and start claiming the benefit, which is currently worth more than £4,500 on average per year.
It also opens the door to a swathe of other financial perks and support, including a Council Tax discount, help with heating and energy costs, and a free TV licence if you’re over 75, so it’s well worth checking if you qualify.