DWP announce new weekly State Pension rate as payments set to increase

The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed that the State Pension will rise by 3.1 percent. And it’s set to bring it in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI), starting on April 11.

Anyone receiving a state pension can decide whether they want to be paid in weekly instalments or paid every month. As reported by Lancs Live, it has been confirmed that the basic state pension will rise from £137.60 to £141.85 a week with the full new state pension rising from £179.60 to £185.15.

The decision follows the Royal Assent of The Social Security (Up-rating of Benefits) Act 2021 in November 2021, which suspended the earnings element of the Triple Lock guarantee for a year as a result of distortions to the earnings statistics due to the pandemic, reports GlasgowLive.

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Speaking on the 3.1 percent rise, the DWP stated: “In taking this decision, the [UK] Government carefully considered the fairest approach for both pensioners and younger taxpayers, many of whom have been hardest hit by the financial impacts of the pandemic.”

The UK Government department added: “In addition, last year, we delivered primary legislation to increase State Pensions by 2.5 per cent, when earnings fell and price inflation increased by half a percentage point. If we hadn’t taken this action, State Pensions would have been frozen.”

The DWP stressed that the ‘double lock’ is only a temporary measure in response to the unusual circumstances of Covid-19, and the full Triple Lock will be reinstated next year. As well as State Pension, every DWP benefit will also rise by 3.1 per cent in line with the CPI.

This includes:

• Working-age benefits
• Benefits to help with additional needs arising from disability
• Carers’ benefits
• Pensioner premiums in income-related benefits
• Statutory Payments
• Additional State Pension

As reported by the Daily Record, below is a full breakdown of the new payment rates for the State Pension and benefits for the 2022/23 financial year.

New DWP payment rates from 2022 to 2023

Weekly rates are shown, unless otherwise stated.

Attendance Allowance

• Higher rate: £92.40 (from £89.60)
• Lower rate: £61.85 (from £60.00)

Carer’s Allowance

• April 2022 rate: £69.70 (from £67.60)

Disability Living Allowance

Care Component

• Highest: £92.40 (from £89.60)
• Middle: £61.85 (from £60.00)
• Lowest: £24.45 (from £23.70)

Mobility component

• Higher: £64.50 (from £62.55)
• Lower: £24.45 (from £23.70)

Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

• Under 25: £61.05 (from £59.20)
• 25 or over: £77.00 (from £74.70)

Housing Benefit

• Under 25: £61.05 (from £59.20)
• 25 or over: £77.00 (from £74.70)
• Entitled to main phase ESA: £77.00 (from £74.70)

Incapacity Benefit (long-term)

• April 2022 rate: £118.25 (from £114.70)

Income Support

• Under 25: £61.05 (from £59.20)
• 25 or over: £77.00 from (£74.70)

Jobseeker’s Allowance (contributions based)

• Under 25: £61.05 (from £59.20)
• 25 or over: £77.00 (from £74.70)

Jobseeker’s Allowance (income-based)

• Under 25: £61.05 (from £59.20)
• 25 or over: £77.00 (from £74.70)

Maternity/Paternity/Shared Parental Allowance

• Standard rate: £156.66 (from £151.97)

Pension Credit

• Single: £182.60 (from £177.10)
• Couple: £278.70 (from £270.30)

Personal Independence Payment (PIP)

Daily Living Component

• Enhanced: £92.40 (from £89.60)
• Standard: £61.85 (from £60.00)

Mobility Component

• Enhanced: £64.50 (from £62.55)
• Standard: £24.45 (from £23.70)

State Pension

• Full New State Pension: £185.15 (from £179.60)
• Basic Old State Pension (Category A or B): £141.85 (from £137.60)

Widow’s Pension

• Standard rate: £126.35 (from £122.55)

Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay

• Standard rate: £156.66 (from £151.97)

Statutory Sick Pay

• Standard rate: £99.35 (from £96.35)

Universal Credit (Monthly rates shown)

Standard allowance

Single

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• Single under 25: £265.31 (from £257.33)
• Single 25 or over: £334.91 (from £324.84)

Couple

• Joint claimants both under 25: £416.45 (from £403.93)
• Joint claimants, one or both 25 or over: £525.72 (from £509.91)

Child Elements

• First child (born prior to 6 April 2017): £290.00 (from £282.60)
• First child (born on or after 6 April 2017) or second child and subsequent child (where an exception or transitional provision applies): £244.58 (from £237.08)

For the full list of proposed DWP increases to benefits and State Pension, visit the GOV.UK website here.