State Pensions

The amount people get in state pension payments from next April has been confirmed by Chancellor George Osborne today, while he also revealed those who leave the UK for more than four weeks at a time will no longer receive pension credit or housing benefit.

The Consumer Prices Index (CPI) rate of inflation fell to -0.1% in the year to September, the Office of National Statistics (ONS) has today announced. But this means the basic state pension will rise by at least 2.5% next April.

If you run a small business or employ a nanny or carer, you may need to start paying into a pension for them as part of the Government's next phase of auto-enrolment.

Everyone aged 55 and over will now be entitled to a free state pension statement the Government has announced today, but it's not automatic so you'll need to request a copy.

Less than half of those reaching state pension age between 2016 and 2020 will be entitled to a full new state pension, it has been revealed.

If you delay claiming your state pension, you'll gain less if you do it after April 2016 under new proposals announced by the Government.