Ministers say it means payments remain the same in real terms, covering -current high -inflation and that pensioners should not be left out of pocket. But critics say it represents muted growth after the Government broke its “triple lock” manifesto promise – which would have seen a much bigger rise of around 8 percent in line with the rise in average earnings. Inflation data published yesterday by the Office for National Statistics confirmed the full new state pension will now rise by five pence short of ￡290 a year, from ￡9,350 to ￡9,640 in the next tax year. In weekly terms, this will mean an increase from ￡179.60 to ￡185.17.

       The basic state pension, received by those who reached pension age before 2016, will increase by ￡4.27 a week from ￡137.60 to ￡141.87. But while a boost to those in retirement, many remained unimpressed.

       They said more than 12 million pensioners are set to be denied what would have been a record boost in the state pension.

       Former pensions minister Baroness Altmann said the Government had “abandoned earnings protection for the poorest pensioners”.

       But ministers defended the suspension in the wages link for a year – saying it would avoid an astronomical bill for the public purse after the pandemic distorted wage growth figures.

       Yet critics are claiming pensioners will be ￡11,600 worse off by the time they reach 85 as a result of the broken manifesto promise.

       However Baroness Altmann believes the battle to save the triple lock is not lost. She said: “There is still time. I will be seeing if I can get support for using ONS adjusted earnings figures that could give a slightly higher rise than the 3.1 percent.”