DA Calculator for Pensioners

Calculate Dearness Relief (DR) on your pension — monthly pension breakdown, DR arrears, family pension, and complete DR history from 2016 to 2026 for 7th, 6th & 5th CPC pensioners.

60%DR from Jan 2026
2%↑Hike over Jul 2025
69 LakhCentral Pensioners
Tax-FreeMin. ₹9,000/month

DA / Dearness Relief Calculator for Pensioners

Calculate DR on service pension, family pension, or compute arrears between two periods

👴 Service Pension
👨‍👩‍👧 Family Pension
📋 DR Arrears

Basic Pension (₹/month)

As shown in your Pension Payment Order (PPO). Min. ₹9,000/month (7th CPC). For 7th CPC: 50% of last basic pay at retirement.
Pay Commission
7th CPC (Retired 2016 onward)6th CPC (Retired 2006–2016)5th CPC (Retired before 2006)
Current DR Rate (%)

Jan 2026: 60% | Jul 2025: 58% | Jan 2025: 55%
Fixed Medical Allowance (₹/month)

₹1,000/month for pensioners not availing CGHS. Revised from ₹500 (7th CPC). DR not admissible on FMA.
Commuted Pension Deduction (₹/month)

Enter monthly commuted pension restored after 15 years = 0. Enter reduction if still within 15 years of retirement.
Additional Pension (if age 80+)
Not applicable (below 80 years)80–84 years: +20% of basic pension85–89 years: +30% of basic pension90–94 years: +40% of basic pension95–99 years: +50% of basic pension100+ years: +100% of basic pension
⚡ Calculate Monthly Pension with DR

📊 Monthly Pension Breakdown
Basic Pension—
Dearness Relief—
Gross Monthly Pension—
Annual Pension—
Basic Pension—
Additional Pension (Age-based)—
Effective Basic for DR Calculation—
Dearness Relief (DR @ 60%)—
Fixed Medical Allowance (FMA)—
Commuted Pension Reduction—
💰 Net Monthly Pension (Pre-Tax)
—
📅 Total Annual Pension (12 Months)
—


Last Basic Pay of Deceased Employee (₹/month)

Enter the last drawn basic pay of the deceased employee. Family pension will be auto-calculated.
— OR — Enter Known Basic Family Pension (₹)

If you know your basic family pension from PPO, enter directly and leave last basic pay blank.
Family Pension Rate
Normal Rate (30% of last basic pay)Enhanced Rate (50%) — first 7 years or till age 67
DR Rate (%)

Fixed Medical Allowance (₹/month)

Disability / Additional Pension (₹/month)

Include compassionate allowance or disability pension if applicable. DR is payable on this too.
⚡ Calculate Family Pension with DR

📊 Family Pension Breakdown
Basic Family Pension—
Dearness Relief—
Gross Family Pension—
Annual Family Pension—
Basic Family Pension—
Disability / Additional Pension—
Dearness Relief on Family Pension—
Fixed Medical Allowance—
💰 Net Monthly Family Pension
—
📅 Annual Family Pension
—


Basic Pension (₹/month)

Your basic pension as per PPO (excluding DR and FMA).
Old DR Rate (%) — Before Hike
58% (Jul 2025 – Dec 2025)55% (Jan 2025 – Jun 2025)53% (Jul 2024 – Dec 2024)50% (Jan 2024 – Jun 2024)46% (Jul 2023 – Dec 2023)42% (Jan 2023 – Jun 2023)38% (Jul 2022 – Dec 2022)34% (Jan 2022 – Jun 2022)31% (Jul 2021 – Dec 2021)28% (Jan 2021 – Jun 2021)17% (Jan 2020 – Dec 2020, freeze)
New DR Rate (%) — After Hike
60% (Jan 2026 – Current)58% (Jul 2025 – Dec 2025)55% (Jan 2025 – Jun 2025)53% (Jul 2024 – Dec 2024)50% (Jan 2024 – Jun 2024)46% (Jul 2023 – Dec 2023)42% (Jan 2023 – Jun 2023)
Month Hike Effective From
JanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember
Year Hike Effective From
202620252024
Month & Year Arrear Paid In
March 2026 (current)April 2026February 2026January 2026
📋 Calculate DR Arrears

📊 DR Arrears Calculation
Old Monthly DR—
New Monthly DR—
Monthly Benefit Increase—
Months Pending—
💰 Total DR Arrears Payable
—
Difference × Months pending before payment

DR History – 7th CPC Pensioners

Complete Dearness Relief rate history from January 2016 to January 2026 for central government pensioners

📊Dearness Relief Rates – 7th CPC (2016 to 2026)

Source: Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare (DoPPW). DR rates for 6th CPC pensioners and 5th CPC pensioners are different (higher, as their basic pension is lower). See the DoPPW Dearness Relief page for all CPC-wise rates.

📋DR Rates Across Pay Commissions (Jan 2026)

Why are 5th/6th CPC DR rates so high? Because the basic pension amounts under older pay commissions were much smaller. The actual DR amount in rupees may be comparable — it’s only the percentage that appears large. For actual 5th/6th CPC DR amount, use the DoPPW calculator at pensionersportal.gov.in.

ℹ️What is Dearness Relief (DR) for Pensioners?

Dearness Relief (DR) is an inflation-adjustment amount added to the basic pension of Central Government retired employees and family pensioners. It is the pensioner’s equivalent of Dearness Allowance (DA) which active employees receive. DR ensures that pensioners’ purchasing power does not erode due to rising prices.

Frequency

Revised Twice a Year

DR is revised twice a year — effective 1st January and 1st July of each year. Cabinet approval is typically given in March (for January revision) and September (for July revision). Arrears are paid along with the revision announcement.

Basis

AICPI-IW Index

DR is calculated based on the All India Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers (AICPI-IW) on a 12-month rolling average. The Labour Bureau (Ministry of Labour) publishes AICPI-IW monthly. A rise in AICPI-IW leads to higher DA/DR.

On What?

Applied on Basic Pension

DR is admissible on basic pension only — it is NOT applied on Fixed Medical Allowance (FMA), commuted pension, or other benefits. For family pensioners, DR applies on basic family pension and any disability pension. Additional pension (80+ age) also attracts DR.

Tax

Is DR Taxable?

Yes — DR is fully taxable as income from salary/pension, just like DA for employees. It is added to the gross pension income and taxed under the applicable income tax slab. However, pensioners get a standard deduction of ₹50,000 on total pension income under Section 16.

8th CPC

DR & 8th Pay Commission

When 8th CPC is implemented, DR/DA will be reset to 0% and merged into the revised basic pension/pay. The new basic pension will be higher to account for accumulated DR. This happened at every CPC transition — e.g., 7th CPC reset DA from 125% (6th CPC) to 0%.

Min Pension

Minimum Guaranteed Pension

Under 7th CPC: Minimum basic pension = ₹9,000/month. With DR at 60%: minimum total pension = ₹9,000 + ₹5,400 + ₹1,000 (FMA) = ₹15,400/month. The 8th CPC is expected to raise the minimum pension to ₹18,000–₹25,740/month.

📑Types of Pension – Quick Reference

*Max Family Pension: 30% of ₹2,50,000 (highest pay) = ₹75,000/month for normal rate. Enhanced rate max = 50% = ₹1,25,000/month. Minimum cannot be less than ₹9,000/month in any case.

🧮How DA/DR is Calculated (Formula)

1

AICPI-IW Average: Labour Bureau publishes the All India CPI-IW monthly. A 12-month average (Jan–Dec for July revision; Jul–Jun for January revision) is taken.

2

DA/DR Formula (7th CPC):
DA% = [(Average AICPI-IW for 12 months − 261.42) ÷ 261.42] × 100
Where 261.42 is the index average for base year (Jan–Jun 2016) at the start of 7th CPC.

3

Round to nearest whole number: The calculated percentage is rounded to the nearest whole number (e.g., 59.8% → 60%).

4

Cabinet Approval: The computed rate is placed before the Union Cabinet for approval, which then issues an official OM (Office Memorandum) through DoPPW for pensioners and DoPT for employees.

5

DR Payment: Banks/treasuries credit the revised DR to pension accounts effective from the notified date. Arrears (if announcement is delayed) are paid as a lump sum in the month of announcement.

🔗 Related Pension & DR Tools

RELATED

7th CPC Pension Calculator

Estimate basic pension before adding DR.

RELATED

Family Pension Calculator

Check normal and enhanced family pension.

RELATED

Revised Pension Calculator

Review revised pension after pay changes.

RELATED

Pension Commutation Calculator

Estimate commuted value and restoration.

RELATED

DA Rate Chart

Compare historical DA/DR revision rates.

RELATED

Pension Rules Guide

Review pension concepts and retirement rules.

📘 How to Use the Pensioner DR Calculator

Start with the Service Pension tab if you receive your own retirement pension. Enter the Basic Pension shown in the PPO, choose the applicable Pay Commission, confirm the DR rate, and add Fixed Medical Allowance or commuted-pension reduction only when those items apply to your case. The calculator then separates Basic Pension, age-related additional pension, DR, FMA and the final pre-tax monthly pension.

Use the Family Pension tab when the pension is payable to a spouse or other eligible family pensioner. You can enter either the deceased employee’s last Basic Pay or a known Basic Family Pension from the PPO. Keeping the family-pension base separate from service pension avoids applying the wrong percentage to the wrong amount.

The DR Arrears tab is intended for delayed implementation of a revised DR rate. Enter the old and new rates, the effective month and the payment month. The calculator then shows the monthly difference and the total arrears for the pending months.

Before relying on any result, compare the Basic Pension or Family Pension with the actual PPO or bank pension statement. This page is most useful as a structured checking tool when the underlying pension amount is already known.

👴 Basic Pension, DR and FMA Are Different Components

Basic Pension is the core monthly pension amount. Dearness Relief is an inflation-linked percentage applied to the eligible pension base. Fixed Medical Allowance is a separate fixed amount and should not be added to the DR base. Keeping these three items separate is essential for matching the calculator result with a pension statement.

If you need to verify the pension amount before adding DR, use the 7th CPC Pension Calculator. Once the correct Basic Pension is known, this page can be used to calculate DR and the resulting monthly total.

For pensioners with commutation, the pension statement may show a reduced cash pension during the restoration period. The calculator includes a commuted-pension deduction field so the cash figure can be shown separately from the pension base used for other calculations.

FMA should remain separate because it is a fixed benefit rather than a percentage-linked dearness component. This is why changing the DR rate does not automatically change the FMA amount.

📈 How a DR Hike Changes Monthly Pension

A DR hike changes the pension by applying the percentage difference to the eligible pension base. If DR rises by two percentage points, the monthly increase depends on the Basic Pension: a pensioner with a higher Basic Pension receives a larger rupee increase even though the percentage change is the same.

For a clean comparison, keep Basic Pension, FMA and commutation unchanged and change only the DR rate. The difference between the two results shows the direct monthly impact of the DR revision.

For historical comparisons, use the DA Rate Chart to confirm the old and new rates before entering them. The same historical percentage can then be applied to the pension amount relevant to that period.

If the pension itself changed because of revision or restoration during the same period, split the calculation. One DR rate applied to two different pension bases can produce different monthly amounts.

📋 DR Arrears: Month-by-Month Checking

DR arrears arise when the revised rate becomes effective from an earlier date but the pension bank or treasury credits the revised amount later. The monthly arrear is the difference between the old DR and new DR for each pending month.

If Basic Pension stayed unchanged through the arrears period, the monthly difference will normally be constant. If pension was revised during the period, calculate the months before and after the revision separately. The Revised Pension Calculator can help verify the new pension base first.

Do not include FMA in the arrears base. Likewise, keep any separate pension components outside the DR calculation unless the applicable pension rule specifically makes them part of the DR-eligible base.

Save the old rate, new rate, effective month and payment month together with the result. This makes it much easier to reconcile the lump-sum arrear credit with the bank pension statement.

👨‍👩‍👧 Family Pension and Dearness Relief

Family pensioners receive DR on the eligible Basic Family Pension. The underlying family pension may be based on a normal rate or an enhanced rate, so the first step is confirming which family-pension amount is actually payable before applying DR.

If the PPO already states the Basic Family Pension, enter that figure directly instead of recalculating from last Basic Pay. This reduces the risk of using the wrong service-history assumption. For a dedicated check, use the Family Pension Calculator.

Additional disability or compassionate components should be entered only when they are part of the pension arrangement and DR applies to them. Keeping them separate in the form makes the monthly result easier to verify.

Family pension and service pension should not be mixed in one calculation. They can have different base amounts even when the same DR percentage applies.

🎂 Additional Pension for Older Pensioners

Age-related additional pension is separate from the standard Basic Pension but can materially increase monthly income for older pensioners. The page includes age bands so the additional pension can be added before calculating the final monthly total.

When additional pension applies, the DR calculation can also change because the eligible pension base becomes larger. This is why the calculator displays the effective pension base separately from the original Basic Pension.

Keep proof of age and the pension disbursing authority’s record consistent with the age band used in the calculator. A one-band difference can change both additional pension and DR.

For long-term planning, it is useful to save a calculation at each age milestone so later pension changes can be compared with the earlier baseline.

🔄 Pension Commutation and Restoration

Commutation affects the cash pension received during the restoration period. A pensioner may have converted part of monthly pension into a lump sum, leaving a lower monthly cash pension for a prescribed number of years.

Use the commuted-pension field only when the reduction is still active. If the commuted portion has already been restored, enter zero so the calculator does not continue deducting an amount that is no longer withheld.

For a detailed commutation check, use the Pension Commutation Calculator. That tool focuses on the lump sum, reduced pension and restoration date, while this page focuses on DR and monthly pension.

When reviewing an arrears period that crosses the restoration date, calculate the months before and after restoration separately because the cash pension shown on the statement can change.

⚠️ Common DR Calculator Mistakes

A common mistake is entering gross pension instead of Basic Pension. Gross pension may already include DR, FMA or other additions, so applying DR again can double count the dearness component.

Another mistake is treating FMA as part of the DR base. FMA is a fixed amount and should remain separate. The same caution applies to other allowances or benefits that are not pension base.

For family pension, users sometimes enter both last Basic Pay and known Basic Family Pension even when one is sufficient. Use the known PPO amount when available to avoid accidental recalculation differences.

For arrears, count only the months for which the new rate was effective but not yet paid. If pension changed during the period, split the calculation rather than using one pension amount across all months.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common queries about DR for Central Government pensioners and family pensioners

What is the DA / DR rate for pensioners from January 2026?▾
The Dearness Relief (DR) for Central Government pensioners has been revised to 60% w.e.f. 1st January 2026 — an increase of 2% over the previous rate of 58% (effective July 2025). This was confirmed based on AICPI-IW data for the period July–December 2025. The Cabinet officially approved the hike in early 2026. For a pensioner with basic pension of ₹40,000/month, the revised DR = ₹24,000/month (60%), compared to ₹23,200/month at 58% — an increase of ₹800/month.
Is DR applicable on commuted pension?▾
No. DR (Dearness Relief) is not admissible on the commuted portion of pension. When a pensioner commutes part of their pension, the monthly pension is reduced by the commuted amount. DR is calculated only on the residual basic pension (i.e., basic pension minus commuted amount). After 15 years from the date of commutation, the commuted portion is automatically restored, and thereafter DR will be calculated on the full basic pension. For example, if basic pension is ₹40,000 and commuted portion reduces it by ₹8,000, DR is calculated on ₹32,000 only (until restoration).
Do pensioners get DA arrears? How are they paid?▾
Yes. Since DR revisions are effective from January 1 or July 1, but the Cabinet announcement typically comes in March (for Jan revision) or September (for July revision), there are usually 2–3 months of arrears. For example, the Jan 2026 DR hike was announced in early 2026, so arrears for January and February 2026 are paid as a lump sum in March 2026 along with the normal pension. Arrears = (New DR − Old DR) × Basic Pension × Number of pending months. For a ₹40,000 basic pension, arrears for 2 months (Jan–Feb 2026) = ₹800 × 2 = ₹1,600.
Is Fixed Medical Allowance (FMA) eligible for DR?▾
No — DR is not admissible on Fixed Medical Allowance (FMA). FMA of ₹1,000/month (revised under 7th CPC from ₹500) is a flat fixed allowance paid to pensioners living in non-CGHS areas who do not avail CGHS facilities. It remains constant regardless of DR revision. Only basic pension (and additional pension for those aged 80+) attracts DR. FMA is fully taxable as part of pension income.
What additional pension do very elderly pensioners get?▾
Central Government pensioners aged 80 years and above are entitled to an Additional Pension as follows: 80–84 years: +20% | 85–89 years: +30% | 90–94 years: +40% | 95–99 years: +50% | 100 years and above: +100% of basic pension. DR is admissible on this additional pension too. To receive this, the pensioner must submit a certificate of age to their bank/treasury. For example, a 82-year-old with ₹30,000 basic pension gets ₹6,000 additional pension (20%), and DR is applied on ₹36,000.
Will DA / DR stop when the 8th Pay Commission is implemented?▾
DA/DR does not permanently stop — it is reset to zero when a new Pay Commission is implemented. The accumulated DA/DR is merged into the basic pay/pension through the new fitment factor, resulting in a higher revised basic pension. For example, when 7th CPC was implemented in 2016, the 125% DA (under 6th CPC) was merged and the basic was multiplied by 2.57 (fitment factor). The 8th CPC is expected to have a fitment factor of ~1.83–2.86. After implementation, a fresh DA/DR cycle begins at 0%. The government has clarified that DA/DR hikes will continue until 8th CPC is officially notified.
Are family pensioners also entitled to DR at the same rate?▾
Yes. Family pensioners receive DR at exactly the same rate as retired service pensioners. DR at 60% (from Jan 2026) is payable on the basic family pension (whether normal rate at 30% or enhanced rate at 50% of last basic pay). The same AICPI-IW based revision applies. Family pensioners are also entitled to Fixed Medical Allowance (₹1,000/month) and additional pension (if aged 80+). Both the normal family pension and enhanced family pension attract DR at the same percentage.
How can I check my pension and DR credit from the bank?▾
Central Government pensioners can track their pension and DR credit through: (1) Pensioner Portal at pensionersportal.gov.in — check pension slip and ledger. (2) PFMS portal for direct payment tracking. (3) Bank pension passbook / net banking — the pension credit appears as a separate entry (basic pension + DR combined). (4) For discrepancies, contact your Pension Disbursing Bank or Pay & Accounts Office (PAO). (5) Grievances can be filed at pgportal.gov.in under Ministry of Personnel.