Martin Lewis highlights that the State Pension will rise by 4.8% in April 2026 due to the triple lock, but warns that many pensioners will likely owe tax on it by April 2027 as payments approach the £12,570 personal allowance. He urges checking for National Insurance gaps to maximize entitlement and notes that payment is not automatic—you must apply.
Martin Lewis has issued a key state pension update during his Budget special on Thursday, 27 November. The state pension will rise by 4.8% in April 2026, meaning that the new state pension will increase to £12,547.60 a year — just below the frozen personal allowance tax threshold at £12,570.
From 6 April 2025, the State Pension will increase by 4.1%. This is the amount of inflation measured by CPI for September 2024.
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.
If you have £10,000 or less in savings and investments this will not affect your Pension Credit. If you have more than £10,000, every £500 over £10,000 counts as £1 income a week.
The "pension 5-year rule" refers to different IRS rules for retirement accounts (like Roth IRAs needing 5 years for tax-free earnings), beneficiary rules (requiring heirs to empty inherited accounts within 5 years), and specific employment pensions (like Federal or Congressional plans requiring 5 years of service for vesting or benefits). It can also relate to UK pension rules for overseas transfers (QROPS) or breaks in service for public sector workers, preventing tax avoidance or loss of benefits.
Take cash lump sums
You can take your whole pension pot as cash straight away if you want to, no matter what size it is. You can also take smaller sums as cash whenever you need to. 25% of your total pension pot will be tax-free. You'll pay tax on the rest as if it were income.
Only a small percentage of Americans retire with $1 million or more in retirement savings, with figures from the Federal Reserve and Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) showing around 3.2% of retirees hitting that mark, though some sources cite slightly lower numbers for all Americans (around 2.5%) or higher estimates for households nearing retirement (over 10% of older households have $1M+ net worth, not just retirement funds). The reality is most retirees have significantly less, with the median for ages 65-74 being around $200,000-$609,000 in retirement accounts.
The basic and new State Pension will be uprated by 4.8% from April 2026. This note outlines details of uprated amounts for the relevant benefits from April 2026.
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.
A state-by-state review of unfunded pension liabilities as of fiscal 2022 shows: Illinois' unfunded pension liability was the largest of any state at 197.2% of its own-source revenue, followed by New Jersey (162.4%), Mississippi (149.5%), Connecticut (147.6%), and Kentucky (134.9%).
You need 35 qualifying years or more of NI contributions to get a full new State Pension. If you've got between 10 and 35 qualifying years, you'll get part of the full rate. This is 1/35th for each qualifying year you have.
Angellica Bell was allegedly "secretly sacked" from 'The Martin Lewis Show' after signing on to present a separate money-saving show called 'Shop Smart, Save Money'.
The key to a tax-free pension rollover is to keep your pension distribution intact in a rollover account until you reach age 59 1/2. Or, should you absolutely need to tap into your pension funds before then, do so sparingly and wisely.
Your State Pension is based on your National Insurance contribution history and is separate from any of your private pensions. Any money in, or taken from, your pension pot may affect your entitlement to some benefits.
The most tax-efficient way to draw a pension involves a blended strategy, often starting with tax-free cash (up to 25% in the UK) then strategically withdrawing from taxable accounts (like 401(k)s) before Roth accounts, using proportional withdrawals across account types for stable tax bills, or taking smaller, flexible "drawdowns" to manage income and tax brackets over time. Key methods include taking the tax-free lump sum (PCLS), phased withdrawals, or using Uncrystallised Funds Pension Lump Sum (UFPLS) (UK) or rollovers (US) to defer tax.
Lump Sum Value Is Based on Payout Date
Then, at $462 a month and $5,544 annually, you need to reach 8.65 years to have the pension payments break even with a $48,000 lump sum payment. “In this simplified scenario, when the retiree's life expectancy is less than 8.65 years, the lump sum would be preferred,” Bryan M.
People of pension age can have up to £10,000 savings in the bank before it affects their pension credit. So if you have savings over £10,000, it will start to count towards your income calculation. Every £500 over £10,000 will be calculated as £1 additional income per week.
Bottom line: If you're fired or your employer files for bankruptcy, your pension may still be protected — especially if you're vested. Understanding ERISA rules, vesting schedules, and PBGC coverage can help you keep the retirement income you've earned.
How much State Pension will I get? The full rate of the new State Pension is £230.25 per week in the 2025-26 financial year (between April and April) but you may get more or less, depending on your National Insurance (NI) record.