Social Security Benefits Up-Rating

Social security benefit rates are increased every April to reflect the current rate of inflation (as measured by the Retail Prices Index (RPI) over the 12 months to the previous September). However, in the 12 month period leading up to September 2009, there was "negative inflation", which saw the RPI drop by 1.4%.

Despite this, the Government is still increasing many benefit levels under temporary powers granted by the Welfare Reform Act 2009 s.23. For the most part, the increases will amount to roughly half the amount that the RPI is expected to rise by next year.

The main benefit increases are:

• The Basic State Pension (along with the equivalent components in Widow's, Bereavement and Industrial Death Benefits) will increase by 2.5% from £95.25 to £97.65 a week from April 12th, 2010.