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Pensioners in the UK are set to see their income rise by 4.7 per cent from April 2026, thanks to the much-trumpeted “triple lock” on the state pension. Hurray!
But what about the millions of people who rely on benefits like Universal Credit, ESA or JSA?
The BBC has reported that the full new state pension, currently £230.25 per week, will rise to around £241.05.
That means a pensioner with the full entitlement will be receiving £12,534.60 a year – up more than £560 on this year’s amount.
Those on the old basic pension, now £176.45 per week, will see their income rise to around £184.75 a week, an annual increase of more than £430.
This is the third year in a row that pensions have risen in line with earnings rather than inflation, reflecting average pay growth of 4.7 per cent between May and July.
It’s not entirely wonderful – while it may be welcome news for many retired people, it drags more pensioners into the income tax net because the personal allowance remains frozen at £12,570 until 2028.
What about benefits?
While ministers boast about protecting pensioners, there is little mention of the millions of people who rely on working-age benefits.
Universal Credit – which around 37 per cent of working people must claim because their employers don’t pay them enough, Employment and Support Allowance, Jobseeker’s Allowance and related payments are not protected by the triple lock.
Instead, they are uprated every April in line with inflation as measured the previous September.
That means the uprating for 2026 will depend on the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) figure for September 2025, which has not yet been published. The Bank of England currently expects it to be around four per cent.
If that proves accurate, a single person aged 25 or over on the standard Universal Credit allowance – currently £400.14 per month, or just £4,801.68 a year – will see their income rise by less than £200.
For a single person under 25, whose allowance is only £316.98 per month, the rise will be just over £150 a year. Boo!
The contrast is enormous.
Pensioners are looking forward to an extra £500 or more next year, while those of working age on benefits may receive a fraction of that – even though they face exactly the same rising costs for rent, food, energy and transport.
The big lie
Politicians fall over themselves to promise that the triple lock will be honoured for pensioners, but when was the last time you heard a minister defend the real value of working-age benefits?
Labour has already ruled out restoring the £20 that was cut from Universal Credit after the pandemic. Meanwhile, unemployment is rising again, and many low-paid workers are stuck on UC top-ups that barely cover the essentials.
So while the headlines trumpet “good news” for pensioners, the news for people of working age on benefits is all bad.
They remain trapped in poverty – told to “tighten their belts” by a ‘Labour’ government that couldn’t care less while it puts the spotlight somewhere else.
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UK state pension to rise again – but spare a thought for people on benefits
Share this post:
Pensioners in the UK are set to see their income rise by 4.7 per cent from April 2026, thanks to the much-trumpeted “triple lock” on the state pension. Hurray!
But what about the millions of people who rely on benefits like Universal Credit, ESA or JSA?
The BBC has reported that the full new state pension, currently £230.25 per week, will rise to around £241.05.
That means a pensioner with the full entitlement will be receiving £12,534.60 a year – up more than £560 on this year’s amount.
Those on the old basic pension, now £176.45 per week, will see their income rise to around £184.75 a week, an annual increase of more than £430.
This is the third year in a row that pensions have risen in line with earnings rather than inflation, reflecting average pay growth of 4.7 per cent between May and July.
It’s not entirely wonderful – while it may be welcome news for many retired people, it drags more pensioners into the income tax net because the personal allowance remains frozen at £12,570 until 2028.
What about benefits?
While ministers boast about protecting pensioners, there is little mention of the millions of people who rely on working-age benefits.
Universal Credit – which around 37 per cent of working people must claim because their employers don’t pay them enough, Employment and Support Allowance, Jobseeker’s Allowance and related payments are not protected by the triple lock.
Instead, they are uprated every April in line with inflation as measured the previous September.
That means the uprating for 2026 will depend on the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) figure for September 2025, which has not yet been published. The Bank of England currently expects it to be around four per cent.
If that proves accurate, a single person aged 25 or over on the standard Universal Credit allowance – currently £400.14 per month, or just £4,801.68 a year – will see their income rise by less than £200.
For a single person under 25, whose allowance is only £316.98 per month, the rise will be just over £150 a year. Boo!
The contrast is enormous.
Pensioners are looking forward to an extra £500 or more next year, while those of working age on benefits may receive a fraction of that – even though they face exactly the same rising costs for rent, food, energy and transport.
The big lie
Politicians fall over themselves to promise that the triple lock will be honoured for pensioners, but when was the last time you heard a minister defend the real value of working-age benefits?
Labour has already ruled out restoring the £20 that was cut from Universal Credit after the pandemic. Meanwhile, unemployment is rising again, and many low-paid workers are stuck on UC top-ups that barely cover the essentials.
So while the headlines trumpet “good news” for pensioners, the news for people of working age on benefits is all bad.
They remain trapped in poverty – told to “tighten their belts” by a ‘Labour’ government that couldn’t care less while it puts the spotlight somewhere else.
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