New weekly and monthly totals were agreed in parliament after a vote, with a £6.9 billion increase to spending on state pensions and benefits from April supported by MPs.

The order approved in the House of Commons included a 4.1% increase to the state pension in line with the growth in average earnings while most other benefit rates will rise by 1.7% from April in line with inflation.

Work and pensions minister Sir Stephen Timms told the Commons: “The Government’s commitment to the triple lock means that the basic and full rate of the new state pension will be uprated by the highest of the growth in earnings or prices or 2.5%.

“This will mean 4.1% for 2025/26. From April this year the basic state pension will increase from £169.50 per week to £176.45, and the full rate of the new state pension will increase from £221.20 to £230.25.”

On pension credit, Sir Stephen said the standard minimum guarantee would increase by 4.1% from £218.15 to £227.10 per week for single pensioners and from £332.95 to £346.60 per week for couples.

Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn asked Sir Stephen about the future of the two-child benefit cap and also on whether the Government would “revisit........

© Norwich Evening News