State Pension Increase 2009

[Everhelpful]

Was I dreaming? I am sure I heard in the media late last year, a statement from Gordon Brown that State Pension Increases were being brought forward to January instead of April. It certainly hasn't happened to me. Any replies gratefully received.

[Ethel]

Alistair Darling:

"I can also confirm that state pensions will increase in line with the highest rate of inflation this year. This will increase the basic state pension for a single person from �90.70 to �95.25�an increase of �4.55 a week. Now that inflation is expected to fall quickly, pensioners should see a real benefit.

I do not want people to have to wait for this extra money. I want them to get it as quickly as possible, which will benefit them as well as the economy. So families will not have to wait until April to receive their increase in child benefit. Instead, they will start to get it in January�three months early.

I want to do the same for pensioners. Pensioners are already getting the winter fuel payment�increased again this year. However, I want to do more. So I will ensure that every pensioner gets a one-off payment of �60, on top of the �10 Christmas bonus, from January. For couples, that figure will be �120, also paid from January. That �60 payment will also go to children with disabilities."


Darling had caused a lot of confusion with this speech so later announcements were made:
* The level of the full State Pension will rise to �95.25 in April 2009, a �4.55 per week increase on last year�s figure; and
* The Government has also committed to making a payment of �60 to all pensioners in 2009, which is equivalent to bringing forward the State Pension increase from April 2009 to January 2009.

[andres]

Check your bank statement. People in our area are already getting the �60 as promised.

[Everhelpful]

Thank you both,much clearer than Alastair Darling. Got my �60 by the way.

[dylan1959]

how soon do we get �60 xmas bonus?

[Ethel]

Some people have had it already - you'll get it by March at the latest

[Mctavish]

Very welcome when it arrived in my bank last week.

[LoftyLottie]

I got mine two weeks ago and my Mum got hers last week.
:o)

[dzug]

Most pensioners will receive it by the end of January. Recipients of other qualifying benefits will be in February and March.

[Ice.Maiden]

My disabled child received �25.

[nels81]

I think the payment of �25 is the cold weather payment. It increased from �8.50 to �25.

[Robin123]

Every pensioner gets the �60 as a back dated basic pension increase but for those who get above the basic pension will this be reflected in the back dated increase?