Readers’ Questions – Increases to the basic state pension and the state second pension

Today I received two related questions, one via email and one via the site's Facebook forum. As both relate to the increases in the basic state pension and and the state second pension I've decided to answer them together.

Question 1

I note your reply to a previous question regarding the SERPS portion of our pensions, but your reply is that the government says these benefits will increase in line with C.P.I from April 2011. Does that mean that our pension increase in April this year will also include an increase the the serps/state second pension?

Thank you.

M.Callaghan

Question 2

Please can you tell me by what % is the state pension going up?

email address supplied.

My Response

Hi to you both,

An individual who is resident in the UK and is entitled to the full Basic State Pension (BSP) will see their weekly pension increase by £4.50 to £102.15 from April 2011.

In addition, those entitled to a state second pension will see this portion of their pension increase in line with last September's Consumer Price Index (CPI) figure, which was 3.1%.

I hope that clears things up for you both and you continue to enjoy Money to the Masses.

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