Armed forces pension increase 2027
The armed forces pension increase for April 2027 has not been set yet. It will match the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) for the 12 months to September 2026, which the Office for National Statistics publishes on 21 October 2026. This page explains how the figure is set and who gets it, and the rate goes here on the day it is published.
Key takeaways
- The April 2027 increase will equal CPI for the 12 months to September 2026.
- The ONS publishes that figure on 21 October 2026. Until then there is no official 2027 rate.
- The latest reading, for August 2026, was 3.1%, up from 2.9% in July. That is context, not the 2027 rate.
- It applies automatically to pensions in payment and to preserved pensions.
- AFPS 75 and AFPS 05 pensions, and EDP income, only start to rise from age 55.
- The increase is made by a Treasury Pensions Increase (Review) Order. The 2026 order came into force on 6 April 2026.
When the 2027 figure will be known
Armed forces pensions rise each April by the CPI inflation rate for the 12 months to the previous September. For April 2027 that is the September 2026 figure, and the ONS has scheduled it for 21 October 2026.
The number then goes through a formal step before it reaches your pension. The Treasury makes a Pensions Increase (Review) Order applying it to public service pensions. The 2026 order was made on 9 March 2026 and came into force on 6 April 2026, and the 2027 order is expected to follow the same timetable.
Rate pending. We do not publish forecasts as rates. The official April 2027 figure will appear here when the ONS releases September 2026 CPI on 21 October 2026.
The latest CPI readings
These are the most recent 12 month CPI rates from the ONS. They show where inflation has been running, but only the September 2026 figure sets the 2027 increase.
| 12 months to | CPI |
|---|---|
| September 2025 (set the April 2026 increase) | 3.8% |
| April 2026 | 2.8% |
| May 2026 | 2.8% |
| June 2026 | 2.6% |
| July 2026 | 2.9% |
| August 2026 | 3.1% |
| September 2026 (sets the April 2027 increase) | Due 21 October 2026 |
How the increase is set
The rule comes from section 59 of the Social Security Pensions Act 1975. When the Department for Work and Pensions directs an increase each year, the Treasury must make an order raising public service pensions by the same percentage. That is why armed forces pensions go up by exactly the same percentage as other public service pensions.
The same order also deals with guaranteed minimum pensions. Where part of a pension is a guaranteed minimum pension (GMP), the increase is worked out on the pension minus the GMP.
Who gets the 2027 increase
- Pensions in payment rise automatically from April. You do not need to claim.
- Preserved pensions are increased too, so the value keeps pace while you wait. You still have to claim a preserved pension when it becomes payable.
- AFPS 75 and AFPS 05 pensions, and EDP income, are paid flat until age 55. At 55 the increases built up since you left are applied, and from then on the pension rises each April.
- AFPS 15 while you are serving is different. Each year's pension is revalued in line with earnings, not CPI. It moves to CPI once it is deferred or in payment.
If your pension started during the year
A pension that has only been in payment for part of the year gets a proportion of the increase. The 2026 order shows how it works: pensions that began before 7 April 2025 got the full 3.8%, and pensions that began later got less for each month they had not been paid.
| Pension began | April 2026 increase |
|---|---|
| Before 7 April 2025 | 3.8% |
| 22 July to 21 August 2025 | 2.53% |
| 22 September to 21 October 2025 | 1.9% |
| 22 December 2025 to 21 January 2026 | 0.95% |
| 22 February to 21 March 2026 | 0.32% |
Expect the 2027 order to use the same monthly steps for pensions that start during 2026-27. The exact dates are only fixed when the order is made.
Previous increases
The increase has moved a long way in recent years: 3.8% in 2026, 1.7% in 2025 and 6.7% in 2024.
To see what a run of increases does to your own figure, use the pension increase calculator. All the yearly figures sit together on the rates hub.
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Frequently asked questions
James Hartley
James Hartley spent 22 years in the British Army, including unit personnel administration and pensions and records duties, and now writes the scheme guides and scenario pages on this site. He is not a regulated financial adviser, so the content is general information rather than personal advice.
Sources: gov.uk · GAD factors · Veterans UK · Forces Pension Society · MoneyHelper.