Baltimore, MD – The Social Security Administration (SSA) announced today that Social Security benefits, including Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI), and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments for 75 million Americans will increase 2.8 percent in 2026.
The 2.8 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will begin with benefits payable to nearly 71 million Social Security beneficiaries in January 2026. Increased payments to nearly 7.5 million SSI recipients will begin on December 31, 2025. (Note: Some people receive both Social Security and SSI benefits.)
Pension increases for 2025 varied, with U.S. Social Security seeing a 2.5% Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) in January, while some state/local pensions (like NY State) had smaller increases (e.g., 1.2%) and different schedules, and federal COLA estimates for 2026 were announced later in 2025 (around 2.8%). Key changes included higher IRS limits for retirement plans and increased Social Security taxable maximums for 2025, with varying boosts based on inflation data for the prior year.
Who Will Receive the $1,100 Centrelink Bonus. The bonus will be automatically issued to eligible Australians receiving approved Centrelink payments. Those expected to qualify include: Age Pension recipients.
Pension increase of 3.4% from 1 January 2026
The approved pension increase of 3.4% will apply to all pensions, effective 1 January 2026. The increase will start with your 1 January 2026 pension payment.
Latest payment adjustment – January to March 2026
Based on changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI), OAS benefits increased by 0.3% for the January to March 2026 quarter, for an increase of 2.0% over the past year, from January 2025 to January 2026.
The social grant amounts will be increased by R10 in October as follows: • Old Age Grants will increase from R2310 to R2320 • Old Age Grants (older than 75 years) will increase from R2 330 to R2 340 • War Veterans Grant will increase from R2 330 to R2 340 • Disability Grant will increase from R2 310 to R2 320 • Care ...
Universal Credit standard allowances will receive an additional uplift of 2.3% as specified in the Universal Credit Act 2025. The basic and new State Pensions will be uprated by 4.8% from April 2026, in line with the annual increase in the Average Weekly Earnings (AWE) index for May–July 2025.
The Minister for Social Protection, Dara Calleary, has announced the details for the Christmas Bonus, which will be paid to approximately 1.5 million people this week including pensioners, carers and people with disabilities.
The maximum level of earnings protected by the CPP was also increased by 14% over 2024 and 2025. Your pension will increase based on how much and for how long you contribute to the enhanced CPP.
Note:
From 20 September 2025, the full pension is available, under the assets test, for homeowner singles whose assessable assets are under $321,500 – for homeowner couples the number is $481,500. The numbers for non-homeowners are $579,500 and $739,500 respectively.
The full rate of new State Pension is £230.25 a week. Your amount could be different depending on: if you were contracted out before 2016. the number of National Insurance qualifying years you have.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) has announced that beneficiaries will receive a 2.8 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 2026. This increase will affect nearly 71 million Americans who receive Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits.
Starting in 2026, Social Security's full retirement age is set to make its final scheduled increase — and people born in 1960 or later will have to wait until they're 67 to claim their full retirement benefits. CBS News' Errol Barnett has more. https://cbsn.
The extra $144 added to Social Security usually comes from the Medicare Part B Giveback benefit, offered by some Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans, which pays back some or all your Part B premium, showing up as extra money in your check if it's deducted from your Social Security. To qualify, you need Original Medicare (Parts A & B), pay your own Part B premium, live in a plan's service area, and enroll in a specific Medicare Advantage plan that offers this "rebate," with the amount varying by plan and location.
What can I claim if I am over State Pension age or if I have a partner over State Pension age?
In 2025, the Christmas Bonus is 100% of your normal weekly payment. The minimum Bonus amount that is paid is €20. If an Increase for a Qualified Adult is paid directly to your dependent spouse, civil partner or cohabitant, the Christmas Bonus is also paid directly to them.
A 100% Christmas Bonus will be paid in the week beginning 1 December 2025 excluding Casual Jobseeker's who will be paid in the week beginning 8 December 2025. Please note a minimum bonus amount of €20 will be paid. You may receive the bonus if you are getting: Back to Education Allowance *
From 20 September 2025, the maximum full Age Pension will increase by: $29.70 per fortnight for singles.
From 6 April 2025, the State Pension will increase by 4.1%. This is the amount of inflation measured by CPI for September 2024.
You may inherit part of or all of your partner's extra State Pension or lump sum if: they died while they were deferring their State Pension (before claiming) or they had started claiming it after deferring. they reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016. you were married or in the civil partnership when they died.
The SASSA Old Age Grant increase that begins in January 2026 has created renewed attention on financial assistance for elderly South Africans. As the cost of living keeps rising updates to the Older Persons Grant stay important for helping senior citizens pay for essential needs such as food, transport & healthcare.
SASSA confirms there will be no double grant payments in June 2025; ignore false rumours and trust official updates.
✔️ Older Persons: 02 October 2025 Disability Grants: 03 October 2025 Children's Grants: 06 October 2025 Visit us in store and make a purchase when you collect your grant.