State Pensioners born in certain years will get up to £2,798 more per year in State Pension payments compared to millions of other retirees. The State Pension system in the UK is divided into two separate schemes – basic and new – and which one you’re eligible for depends on when you were born.

Men born before April 6, 1951, and women born before April 6, 1953, receive the basic State Pension, which is worth up to £176.45 per week, if you get the full rate. But men born on or after April 6, 1951, and women born on or after April 6, 1953, are eligible to get the new State Pension – which is paid at a significantly higher rate. Following a 4% uprating from April 7, pensioners who get the new State Pension can get up to £230.25 per week on the full rate – £53.80 more than those on the basic State Pension.

So over a full year, those on the new State Pension can get £11,973 in pension payments if they get the full rate – an extra £470 per year thanks to the 4% uplift.

But by comparison, those who get the basic State Pension will only get £9,175.40 in pension payments per year if they get the full rate – an extra £360 more annually following the 4% increase from April.

It means that those who get the new State pension get up to £2,797 more per year compared to older retirees on the basic scheme.

An estimated 4.38 million people get the new State Pension according to UK Parliament, whereas around 8.57 million are on the basic scheme – so significantly more UK pensioners actually get the lower rate.

The DWP said: “With uprating in effect, pensioners receiving the full basic State Pension will see their weekly payments rise from £169.50 to £176.45 per week, worth an additional £360 a year. In addition, the full rate of the new State Pension will increase from £221.20 to £230.25 per week, an increase of £470 a year.”

But age isn’t the only factor in determining which State Pension you get as the amount of money you get is also dependent on your national insurance record.

If you’re on the new State Pension and you get less than £230.25 per week then you might need more National Insurance qualifying years to increase your weekly payments. You need at least 10 qualifying years on your National Insurance record to get any new State Pension

By comparison, to get the full basic State Pension, men usually need 30 qualifying National Insurance years if you were born between 1945 and 1951, or 44 qualifying years if you were born before 1945. Women usually need 30 qualifying years if you were born between 1950 and 1953, or 39 qualifying years if you were born before 1950. So if you get less than £176.50 per week then it means you have less than the full number of qualifying years.

Minister for Pensions Torsten Bell added: “Raising the State Pension and rescuing the NHS – these are this government’s priorities to give all pensioners the dignity they deserve in their retirement. Those who have worked hard throughout their lives, paying into the system, are owed nothing less.

“We’re improving the lives of millions of pensioners through our £7.84 billion additional funding for the State Pension this year. That means up to £470 extra in pensioners’ pockets from this week and comes alongside our work to boost Pension Credit uptake, and the £26 billion we’ve invested in the NHS that has seen waiting lists in England fall for 5 months in a row.”