Stripping down the state pension

The variation in state pension payouts currently ranges from a miniscule £7 a week, to a more reasonable £230, according to latest data from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). The government said the difference - which can amount to £10,000 a year - is down to the level of basic and additional state pension paid out under the present rules. Complexity About 130,000 pensioners get £7 a week, or less, and the same number is paid £230 a week. The government released the figures to highlight what it called ‘staggering’ differences due to the complexity of the current system. It...