Millions Urge DWP to Abolish Basic Pension and Boost Weekly Payments

A new petition is gaining traction in the UK, demanding a total overhaul of the current State Pension system. The goal? To abolish the Basic State Pension and move all pensioners onto the more generous New State Pension – and not just that, but also raise it significantly to reflect average UK earnings. It’s a bold ask, but with over 8 million pensioners still on the older system, many are calling it long overdue.

Petition

Started by campaigner Michael Thompson, the online petition calls for all retirees – regardless of when they retired – to be paid the New State Pension instead of the outdated Basic version. His reasoning is simple: fairness. If two pensioners paid into the same system their whole working life, why should one get significantly less just because they retired before April 6, 2016?

Let’s break it down. The current weekly rates are:

• Basic State Pension: £176.45
• New State Pension: £230.25

That’s a difference of £53.80 per week – or over £2,797 per year. For those living on tight budgets, that gap is massive.

Wages

Here’s where the argument gets interesting. Thompson points out that the average weekly earnings (AWE) in the UK were £722 as of March 2025, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The current State Pension only covers a fraction of that.

He suggests aligning the State Pension with a good percentage of AWE – though he doesn’t set an exact figure. Hypothetically, if retirees were paid £722 per week (the full AWE), it would mean:

• Monthly pension: £2,888
• Annual pension: £37,556

That’s a radical leap from today’s levels. But it shows just how far behind pensions are compared to the cost of living.

Support

The petition titled “Increase New State Pension and pay to all, abolish the old Basic State Pension” is hosted on the official UK Parliament petitions website. If it reaches 10,000 signatures, the government must respond. At 100,000 signatures, it could be debated in Parliament.

So far, the movement has sparked widespread debate online, particularly among those struggling to cope with rising bills, food costs, and rent in retirement.

Uprating

Luckily, some relief is on the way – though nowhere near what the petition calls for.

Thanks to the Triple Lock system, both the Basic and New State Pensions will rise in April 2026. The Triple Lock guarantees annual pension increases based on the highest of three:

• Inflation (CPI) – 3.8%
• Average earnings – 4.8%
• Or a minimum of 2.5%

For the 2026/27 tax year, the 4.8% wage growth wins. That means:

• New State Pension rises from £230.25 to £241.30 per week
• Basic State Pension rises from £176.45 to £184.90 per week

Let’s put that into a quick comparison table:

Pension Type	Weekly (Current)	Weekly (2026)	Annual (2026)
New State Pension	£230.25	£241.30	£12,547
Basic State Pension	£176.45	£184.90	£9,614

It’s an improvement – but it still leaves thousands of pounds between what retirees receive and what they arguably need to live comfortably.

Taxation

Here’s where things get a bit tricky. With the New State Pension rising to £12,547 a year, it comes dangerously close to the frozen Personal Allowance threshold of £12,570 – the amount you can earn before paying income tax.

So, from April 2026, many pensioners could find themselves paying tax on their State Pension alone. Add in any private pensions or savings income, and it’s easy to see how more older Brits will be dragged into the tax net.

The government confirmed earlier this year that the Personal Allowance won’t rise until April 2028 – a controversial move that critics say punishes those on fixed incomes.

Inequality

The heart of this debate lies in fairness. Millions of pensioners on the Basic State Pension feel left behind, especially when they see new retirees receiving more for essentially the same contribution record. The campaign argues that all pensioners should be treated equally – and even be back-paid the difference from when the New Pension was introduced.

But that raises big questions. How much would it cost the government? Could the Treasury afford it? And would it open the door to further compensation claims?

Those are decisions for Parliament – but the conversation is now firmly in the public eye.

As of now, the petition is a push for justice. Whether it leads to sweeping pension reform or not, it has certainly reignited public interest in how we treat our retirees. After all, how we care for our elderly says a lot about our society.

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