State pension to rise by hundreds of pounds in April

The state pension is due to rise by 4% in April, giving an extra £460 a year to recipients.

The payment increases by the highest of total average weekly earnings, inflation for September or 2.5%.

Figures on Tuesday showed average weekly earnings rose by 4% in the three months to July.

Inflation data for September has not yet been published but stood at 2.2% for July, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The pension rise comes as the government is under pressure having scrapped the winter fuel allowance. The annual rise in pension payments is more than double the allowance for some, worth either £200 or £300.

Why are wages going up?

Public sector pay rises may be behind part of the growth, the ONS said.

"Growth in total pay slowed markedly again as one-off payments made to many public sector workers in June and July last year continue to affect the figures," said the ONS director of economic statistics Liz McKeown.

Also released today was unemployment data, which eased to 4.1% from 4.2%.

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