The new financial year brings changes to the pension you’ll get
State pensioners should see a boost in their income from 6 April with a rise more than double the rate of inflation
About 10,000 people in their 70s or older who are currently getting an extra £70 a week with their pension for a dependent spouse or civil partner who is still under state pension age will face a big cut in their state pension from 6 April.
The cut was announced back in 2007. No new claims were accepted from April 2010 and the increase will stop being paid from 6 April.
Anyone who loses this £70 should see if they can claim pension credit or another means-tested benefit such as council tax reduction or, if
they pay rent, housing benefit.
You can claim pension credit by calling the pension credit claim line on 0800 99 1234.
It can also help with housing benefit claims; otherwise go to your local council.
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For council tax reduction contact the council that bills you.
All other state pensioners should see a boost in their income from 6 April. The full new state pension will rise by £6.60 a week, from
£168.60 a week to £175.20, which is well over £9,000 a year.
The rise is 3.9% – more than double the rate of inflation. This pension is paid to people who reached state pension age on 6 April 2016 or later.
The old basic state pension for people who reached state pension age before 6 April 2016 will increase by £5.05 a week, from £129.20 to £134.25.
For couples where a wife depends on her husband’s National Insurance contributions, the total for both will be £8.05 a week more at £214.70.
Some people get less than the standard amounts of new or basic state pension; their pensions will rise by 3.9%.
Some get more and anything over the standard amounts will rise by just 1.7%, the rate of Consumer Price Inflation (CPI) last September.
Disability benefits and the bereavement allowance will rise by 1.7% and, for the first time in five years, so will benefits paid to working-
age people such as jobseeker’s allowance.
That will add just a pound or two to most weekly benefits.
The bereavement support payment stays frozen at 2016 rates.