Older state pensioners can receive up to £1,661.76 every four weeks thanks to Additional Pension (AP) schemes that are no longer available to new retirees. These payments combine the basic old state pension with extra entitlements from closed-off schemes like SERPS and Second State Pension.
How the Additional Pension Works
The old state pension, for those who reached state pension age before April 2016, is worth a maximum of £184.90 per week for someone with a full National Insurance record. In contrast, the new state pension for post-2016 retirees is worth up to £241.30 per week. However, older pensioners can top up their basic pension with AP payments, which can bring their total above the new state pension amount.
AP is an umbrella term for schemes that were phased out in 2016, including the State Earnings Related Pension Scheme (SERPS) and the Second State Pension. While no longer available to new claimants, those who participated through their employment still receive AP payments from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) every four weeks.
Maximum Payments and Tax Implications
The maximum AP payment is capped at £230.54 per week from April 2026, nearly matching the new state pension rate. This is paid on top of the basic old state pension. Since DWP state pension payments are made every four weeks, the maximum AP per period is £922.16. Combined with the basic pension of £739.60 every four weeks (£184.90 x 4), the total reaches £1,661.76.
Consumer magazine Which? explains: “The amount of additional state pension you'll get depends on how many years you paid National Insurance for, how much you earned and whether you contracted out of the scheme. The maximum additional state pension you can get in 2026-27 is £230.54 a week (not including state pension top-up).”
Tax and Future Outlook
These AP payments are not exempt from tax and will not receive special exemption in the future, as revealed exclusively by the Express. Pensioners should factor this into their financial planning.
