State Pension? HELP….

PickyPensioner

I am very tired of hearing people going on about the ‘triple lock’ like we are getting something incredible. It’s just not true - my outgoings usually exceed anything we eventually gain.

2025 uplift in pension income is a perfect example of what happens every year. The state pension actually does not rise until the first Monday after 6th April, which, in 2025 means that we do not get the ‘full’ raise, in my case, until 27th May (as it’s paid in arrears).  YET all my bills increase on April 1st - there is no contingency whatsoever for the shortfall - this happens every year.

I get no other income support whatsoever as I have very meagre savings (which I am having to use for living expenses) - my meagre savings are intended to help when I am frail (I am currently 70 which several medical conditions) and need help to stay independent. (I live alone in sheltered accommodation and my state pension cover the rent, which will rise on 1.4.25!)

This all seems so unfair, how can I find, once again, the shortfall from April 1st when all costs rise until I get the full ‘new’ pension, in my case, on May 27th?

la531983

Seems a bit unfortunate that ALL your bills rise on the 1st April. What bills are we talking about here?

af1963

How's this different to everyone else in the country who gets paid in arrears ?

In fact, it's better than many employees get.  I fairly often had annual pay increases which were not fixed until well into the following year. I'm sure I'm not alone.

af1963

On a more practical note, if you have medical conditions or disabilities, make sure you've applied for all the benefits to which you may be entitled, and even if you don't initially qualify, keep reviewing this if your health and needs change.

PickyPensioner

thanks for comments. Bills that rise on April 1st include: Rent, Council Tax, Insurances, Broadband - I’ve cut everything down to a bare minimum - broadband being my ‘luxury’ item.

I can’t see it’s fairer than those who are employed somehow? If I could be employed, I wouldn’t have to live on £11,573.04 annually, for everything. However, that isn’t my issue. The issue is finding ways to cover the uplift in bills from April 1st

eskbanker

PickyPensioner said:

thanks for comments. Bills that rise on April 1st include: Rent, Council Tax, Insurances, Broadband - I’ve cut everything down to a bare minimum - broadband being my ‘luxury’ item.

I can’t see it’s fairer than those who are employed somehow? If I could be employed, I wouldn’t have to live on £11,573.04 annually, for everything. However, that isn’t my issue. The issue is finding ways to cover the uplift in bills from April 1st

Can you change your state pension to be paid weekly instead of four-weekly?  I know that this is an option for those starting to claim but am unsure if it can be adjusted later....

Even without that, surely the bulk of your late April pension payment will be at the uplifted rate?

af1963

By the end of April, you'll have had your payments for the three April weeks at the new rate. That means you're waiting a month to get a total of about £27 extra pension.

You say you have savings.  What stops you from using those until the (above-inflation) pension increase arrives ? Part of the point of having them, surely, to deal with short term cash flow ?  

It sounds like your underlying issue is not really the timing of triple lock increases, but the low level of your total income.  That's why it's worth exploring all possible benefit options.  

teaselMay

It might be hard but compare it to the uplift in most wages and other benefits, it's much better than either. 

PickyPensioner

Thank you for your comments, I really appreciate folks kindly taking the time and effort to respond. It does appear to me to be an unfair system. Thanks especially to Af1963 I wondered how much it would equate to - £27 probably will be more than swallowed up by rent increase. (let’s not talk about food/heating etc etc) savings are dwindling alarmingly, will pension credit eventually compensate for not being able to afford to get away from a claustrophobic environment, even for a few days self-catering in the UK!! 😳 Thanks all.

Stubod

..yes the "triple lock" is not as good as people perceive. I seem to remember another thread on here recently that actually calculated that the SP had only gone up by a couple of quid more than if it had just been linked to RPI !!

I did defer mine for one year, (probably not worth it), and I have asked for it to be paid weekly as I prefer something going into my bank account every week.

eskbanker

PickyPensioner said:

It does appear to me to be an unfair system.

Not sure it really is, objectively - the tax year does start on 6 April, so there is an argument that annual increases in other bills could/should be aligned with that but it is only five days of a difference, despite this being more significant to those on very low incomes.

PickyPensioner said:

savings are dwindling alarmingly, will pension credit eventually compensate for not being able to afford to get away from a claustrophobic environment, even for a few days self-catering in the UK!!

Based on what you've said, you're ineligible for pension credit because you're on the maximum state pension under the new scheme, rather than the level of your savings, so running those savings down won't change that.  However, as above, are you sure you're claiming everything you're entitled to?

https://www.entitledto.co.uk/