State Pension UK Guide: How Much Will You Get?

The UK State Pension is a regular payment from the government that you can claim when you reach State Pension age. It is based on your National Insurance contribution record — the more qualifying years you have, the higher your State Pension. For most people, it forms the bedrock of retirement income, topped up by workplace or private pensions.

Current State Pension Rates

State Pension Age

The State Pension age is currently 66 for both men and women. It is rising to 67 between 2026 and 2028, and is legislated to rise further to 68 between 2044 and 2046, though this timetable is subject to government review and may be brought forward. You can check your own State Pension age at GOV.UK.

Qualifying Years

You build qualifying years through paid National Insurance contributions (as an employee or self-employed person) or through National Insurance credits. You need 35 qualifying years for the full new State Pension. If you have between 10 and 35 qualifying years, you receive a proportionate amount — for example, 20 qualifying years gives you 20/35ths of the full amount.

How to Check Your State Pension Forecast

You can check your State Pension forecast online at GOV.UK. The forecast tells you how much State Pension you are currently on track to receive, how many qualifying years you have, and how many more you could add before you reach State Pension age. It also shows any gaps in your record that you may be able to fill.

New State Pension vs Basic State Pension

There are two State Pension systems running in parallel. Which one applies to you depends on when you reach State Pension age:

• New State Pension: Applies if you reached State Pension age on or after 6 April 2016. A simpler, single-tier system based solely on qualifying years. The full amount is £230.25/week for 2025/26.
• Basic State Pension: Applies if you reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016. Consists of the basic State Pension (up to £176.45/week) plus any additional State Pension (SERPS/S2P) you built up.

SERPS and the State Second Pension (S2P)

Before the new State Pension was introduced, employees could build up an additional State Pension on top of the basic amount. This was called the State Earnings-Related Pension Scheme (SERPS) from 1978 to 2002, and the State Second Pension (S2P) from 2002 to 2016. If you were employed during these periods and not "contracted out," you will have built up some additional State Pension, which is included in your State Pension forecast.

Contracting Out

Between 1978 and 2016, it was possible to "contract out" of the additional State Pension. This meant you (and your employer) paid lower NI contributions, and in return, your workplace or personal pension was expected to provide a pension at least as good as the additional State Pension you gave up. If you were contracted out for some or all of this period, your new State Pension starting amount will have been reduced to reflect this. This is the most common reason people receive less than the full new State Pension despite having 35 or more qualifying years.

Deferring Your State Pension

You do not have to claim your State Pension as soon as you reach State Pension age. If you defer, your State Pension increases by 1% for every 9 weeks you defer — equivalent to approximately 5.8% per year. There is no maximum deferral period. You can also choose to receive the deferred amount as a lump sum (only if you defer for at least 12 months).

State Pension and Tax

The State Pension counts as taxable income, but no tax is deducted at source — it is paid gross. If your total income (State Pension plus any other income) exceeds the personal allowance (£12,570), you will owe income tax. For most people, this is collected by adjusting the tax code on their private or workplace pension, or via Self Assessment.

State Pension Abroad

You can claim your UK State Pension from anywhere in the world. However, whether it increases each year depends on where you live:

• Annual increases apply: If you live in the UK, the European Economic Area (EEA), Switzerland, or a country with a relevant social security agreement (including the USA).
• Pension is FROZEN: If you live in many Commonwealth and other countries including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and Thailand. Your pension is frozen at the rate it was when you left the UK (or when you first claimed it abroad).

This is a significant consideration for anyone planning to retire abroad. A frozen pension erodes in value over time as the cost of living rises.

National Insurance Credits

You may receive National Insurance credits automatically if you:

• Claim Child Benefit: The parent or carer claiming Child Benefit for a child under 12 receives NI credits automatically.
• Are a carer: Those receiving Carer's Allowance or caring for someone for at least 20 hours a week may qualify for Carer's Credit.
• Are unemployed: Claiming Jobseeker's Allowance or Employment and Support Allowance provides NI credits.

Buying Extra Years

If you have gaps in your National Insurance record, you can often fill them by paying voluntary Class 3 contributions. At £17.45 per week (£907.40 for a full year), each additional qualifying year adds approximately £342 per year to your State Pension. This means the cost is typically recovered within about three years of receiving the higher pension — making it one of the best value financial decisions available. You can normally fill gaps going back up to 6 years, with extended deadlines sometimes available for older gaps.

See our retirement planning guide for how the State Pension fits into your overall retirement income, our National Insurance guide for more on NI classes and rates, and our pension calculator to estimate your total retirement income.