Why the annual State Pension increase does not look the same on every payment
A higher State Pension rate took effect across the UK on 6 April 2026, and both full standard rates rose by 4.8%. Why that percentage does not tell every recipient how much their own payment has changed.
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The 2026/27 tax year in four numbers
Sources: DWP, HMRC on GOV.UK; checked 28 October 2026
a week from 6 April 2026, up 4.8%; what one person receives depends on their own record
for most home purchases in England and Northern Ireland since 1 April 2025
of interest can be taxed at 0%, but only while other income stays low
qualifying income from self-employment or property brought people in from 6 April 2026
State Pension & benefits
The State Pension, Pension Credit, National Insurance credits and the Winter Fuel Payment: how the rules work and where to check your own record.
- What your State Pension forecast is really telling you about missing years
- Why Pension Credit matters for far more than the weekly top-up
- The grandparents who can earn National Insurance credits for childcare
- Who still gets the Winter Fuel Payment, and who pays it back
Tax
Stamp Duty, Making Tax Digital and the other tax rules that reach ordinary households, with worked examples and links to HMRC.
- What Stamp Duty costs for downsizers now the thresholds have dropped back
- Making Tax Digital has arrived for landlords and sole traders over £50,000
Savings
The starting rate for savings, the Lifetime ISA and other rules that decide how much of your saving stays yours.
- How the Lifetime ISA bonus works, and the charge that can eat into it
- The £5,000 savings band that people on low earnings often overlook
Home & health
Attendance Allowance, prescription costs, the TV licence and Lasting Powers of Attorney: the money side of home life and health.
- Attendance Allowance is not means-tested, and that surprises a lot of families
- Why the free TV licence at 75 now hinges on Pension Credit
- Free prescriptions at 60, and the help that exists before you get there
- Why a Lasting Power of Attorney is easier to set up while nobody needs it
State Pension & benefits
Why Pension Credit matters for far more than the weekly top-up
Pension Credit is often written off as a few pounds a week. Qualifying can also connect pensioners to help with rent, council tax, NHS costs and heating, and savings count for less than many expect.
Tax
What Stamp Duty costs for downsizers now the thresholds have dropped back
Since 1 April 2025 Stamp Duty in England and Northern Ireland has started at £125,000 again. We set out the current bands, the 5% surcharge that can catch a downsizer and the 14-day deadline.
a week is the higher rate of Attendance Allowance in 2026/27; the lower rate is £76.70. It is not means-tested, so savings and income do not reduce it.
Attendance Allowance is not means-tested, and that surprises a lot of families
Attendance Allowance is paid at £76.70 or £114.60 a week in 2026/27, whatever your savings or income. It is tax-free, and an award can also raise Pension Credit, Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction.
Savings
How the Lifetime ISA bonus works, and the charge that can eat into it
The Lifetime ISA adds 25% on up to £4,000 a year, but most other withdrawals cost a quarter of the pot. The Budget published on 28 October 2026 cuts that to 20% for buyers above the price cap.
Home & health
Why a Lasting Power of Attorney is easier to set up while nobody needs it
A Lasting Power of Attorney can only be made while you still have mental capacity. Registration costs £92 per document in 2026, far less than the court route families face without one.
Every Thursday: one rule, one date, one source.
The Thursday Briefing explains in a few minutes what is changing with benefits, tax, savings and household money in the UK, and links to the official page each time.