State pension 'much more modest' for millions of Britons despite £575 triple lock boost, campaigners warn

Patrick O'Donnell
Wed, 08 Apr 2026 11:31:28 +0000

A leading civil servant activist group has declared this month's rate increase to state pension payments "modest" despite the triple policy being in place.

The Civil Service Pensioners' Alliance (CSPA) is urging the Labour Government to acknowledge the "complicated reality" for pensioners in Britain, when it comes to their finances.

Earlier this week, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) announced that more than 12 million pensioners will benefit from a £575 annual state pension increase.

Despite this, the CSPA warns headline figure paints an incomplete picture of what retirees will actually receive as only a small proportion of pensioners stand to gain the full amount promoted by the government.

The £575 boost applies exclusively to those receiving the maximum new state pension rate, introduced in 2016, with the organistion noting that many pensioners fall outside this category.

Under the triple lock mechanism, pension payments rose by 4.8 per cent from April 6, 2026, for everyone eligible for the retirement benefit.

Of the approximately 12.95 million people drawing a state pension, close to two-thirds remain on the pre-2016 basic scheme.

This amounts to roughly 8.6 million pensioners who will see a smaller increase of £439 annually. Their weekly payments rise from £176.45 to £184.90 under the new rates.

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Meanwhile, just 4.4 million pensioners receive the new state pension. Their weekly rate climbs from £230.25 to £241.30.

Analysis of DWP figures by Royal London in 2023 revealed that approximately half of those on the post-2016 system receive less than the maximum amount.

Gaps in National Insurance contributions and historical periods of contracting out reduce entitlements for millions with roughly one in six recipients actually qualifying for the full new state pension rate.

Sally Tsoukaris, General Secretary of the CSPA, acknowledged the value of the increase whilst highlighting its limitations.

She said: "We welcome the 4.8 per cent increase and recognise that for many pensioners the uplift will provide essential help with everyday costs.

"However, presenting the maximum possible increase as if it applies to everyone glosses over a more complicated reality.

"For many pensioners, particularly older women and those with interrupted working lives, the increases to their state pension are much more modest."

The CSPA has called for greater caution when reporting pension figures, warning that headline-focused coverage risks obscuring longstanding inequalities within the system.