Major update on call for state pension to be increased to £427 a week

MORE THAN 10,100 PEOPLE HAVE SIGNED AN ONLINE PETITION URGING THE UK GOVERNMENT TO INCREASE THE NEW STATE PENSION FROM £11,973 A YEAR TO £22,000 10:53, 03 Jun 2025 More than 10,100 people

have now signed an online petition calling on the UK Government to raise the New State Pension from £11,973 per annum to £22,000, equating to the yearly income of someone working a 35-hour

week on the National Living Wage. The petition now qualifies for a written response, likely from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). The suggestion, put forward by Ken Marshall, has

been published on the Government's Petitions Parliament website. It proposes that all pensioners receive £427.35 each week - approximately £1,709 every four-week payment period - in

line with the projected 2025/26 National Living Wage rate of £12.21 per hour, reports the Daily Record. The campaigner contends that the disparity between the State Pension and National

Living Wage payments is "distressing" and insists "we must not allow our senior citizens, who have contributed so much to our society, to struggle through their sunset

years". Mr Marshall argues that aligning the payments for 13 million pensioners with the National Living Wage is a matter of "matter of fairness and respect". The 'pay

pensioners the equivalent of the living wage of a 35 hour week' petition, posted on the Petitions Parliament website, states: "The full rate of the New State Pension is now £11,973

a year, while the annual income derived from the National Living Wage for a 35-hour week will be above £22,000. We think there is a distressing discrepancy between these two figures.

Article continues below "We must not allow our senior citizens, who have contributed so much to our society, to struggle through their sunset years. We consider that it is a matter of

fairness and respect. We all deserve a decent life when we get old." The statement concludes: "We believe that all pensioners must receive the equivalent of the living wage at 35

hours a week as a minimum. This could ensure a better quality of life for our country's senior citizens and help ensure that no elderly person in our society has to face financial

hardship." Should the petition reach 100,000 signatures, it would be considered by the Petitions Committee for debate in Parliament. The full petition is available for viewing here.

NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE RATES 2025/26 The National Minimum Wage for people over 21 is now: * £12.21 per hour * £427.35 for a typical 35-hour working week * £,709.40 every four-week pay period

or £1,851.85 per month * £22,222.20 over the 2025/26 financial year STATE PENSION PAYMENT RATES 2025/26 FULL NEW STATE PENSION * Weekly payment: £230.25 * Four-weekly payment: £921 * Annual

amount: £11,973 FULL BASIC STATE PENSION * Weekly payment: £176.45 * Four-weekly payment: £705.80 * Annual amount: £9,175 FUTURE STATE PENSION INCREASES The Labour Government has pledged to

honour the Triple Lock or the next five years and the latest predictions show the following projected annual increases: * 2025/26 - 4.1% (the forecast was 4%) * 2026/27 - 2.5% * 2027/28 -

2.5% * 2028/29 - 2.5% * 2029/30 - 2.5% Earlier proposals set forth in a similar petition, which called for the State Pension to escalate to £549 weekly for every person aged over 60 were

rebuffed by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).In its earlier written response, the DWP indicated that the UK Government "has no plans to make State Pension available from the

age of 60 or to increase State Pension to equal 48 hours of work a week at the National Living Wage". The DWP has affirmed the Government is "committed to supporting current and

future generations of pensioners and giving them the dignity and security they deserve in retirement", also drawing attention to Labour's pledge to uphold the Triple Lock

throughout the current Parliament. The DWP response said that the UK Government is “committed to supporting current and future generations of pensioners and giving them the dignity and

security they deserve in retirement” and highlighted Labour’s commitment to the Triple Lock for the duration of this Parliament. The DWP continued: “The State Pension and the National Living

Wage have different purposes, and a direct comparison cannot be drawn. The National Living Wage is designed to protect low-income workers and provide an incentive to work. “It is also worth

noting that while State Pension is an entitlement based on a person’s National Insurance record, it is legally a benefit. From the time of the 1946 National Insurance Act, which applied

from the inception of the National Insurance scheme, retirement pension (latterly also known as State Pension), has always been classified in law as a 'benefit'.” DWP also

explained how the New State Pension was introduced in 2016 to be a “simpler, clearer, sustainable foundation for private saving, including workplace pensions supported through Automatic

Enrolment”. DWP added: “The introduction of Automatic Enrolment has both increased and equalised workplace pension participation rates between eligible men and women in the private sector.

Together, the New State Pension and Automatic Enrolment provide a robust system for retirement provision for decades to come, with those on low incomes supported by Pension Credit which

continues to provide a safety net.” Article continues below The DWP also confirmed that there are no plans to reduce the State Pension age back to 60, explaining that it operates on a

pay-as-you-go basis funded by current taxpayers.