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The number of people receiving the state pension has fallen by 120,000 year-on-year, following changes to the state pension age.

Statistics from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) show 13 million people received the state pension in February 2019.

It said the fall in numbers was mostly because of the increases in the state pension age beyond 65 for both men and women, which started in December 2018.

Before this, the state pension age for women increased to align it with the age for men.

The new state pension, which was introduced on 6 April 2016, has also contributed towards equalising pensions for men and women.

On average, the DWP statistics show that a man receiving the new state pension gets £156.39 a week - slightly lower than the average amount of £159.31 received by a man on the old state pension.

Meanwhile, women on the new state pension receive £148.33 a week on average, compared to £131.52 under previous rules.

Overall, the average for both men and women was £144.32, an increase of £5.36 compared to the pre-2016 pension.

For information on your state pension entitlement, contact HMRC.