Updated

The new State Pension is flat-rate and depends only on the number of qualifying years of National Insurance: thirty-five years give the full weekly amount, each year short reduces it proportionally, and fewer than ten years give nothing at all. Earnings do not enter the calculation, which is why a high earner and a modest earner with the same record receive the same pension. Two things change the result in practice. Gaps in the record can often be filled by voluntary Class 3 contributions, within a time limit, and the return on doing so is usually higher than any other retirement saving. And deferring the pension increases it by a set percentage for each period of deferral. This simulator applies the qualifying-years formula; it does not model protected payments from the previous scheme, which appear on an individual forecast.

New State Pension

Simulator State Pension United Kingdom

Estimate your flat-rate New State Pension based on your National Insurance qualifying years. A unique system: the amount does not depend on your salary, but on your years of contributions.

Your situation

34 yrs
67 yrs
12 yrs

Summary

You will receive

£1,046

per month (State Pension)

Full pension

£1,046

maximum amount for 35 years

Gap to full amount

£0

per month

In practice: The New State Pension is a flat-rate amount of £241.3/week (£1,046/month) for 35 qualifying years. The system is proportional: each validated year gives 1/35th of the full amount.

With 45 projected qualifying years at age 67, you will receive £1,046/month, i.e. 100% of the full amount.

Note: the State Pension cannot be claimed before the State Pension age (68). Your pension will start at age 68 even if you stop working earlier.

Weekly pension

£241.30

£12,548 per year

Qualifying years

45 / 35

Missing: 0

State Pension age

68

Based on your year of birth

Rate of full amount

100%

Of the maximum State Pension amount

Pension by qualifying years

£0£300£600£900£120010 yrs15 yrs20 yrs25 yrs30 yrs35 yrs

Cumulative pension payments

697173757779818385£0k£60k£120k£180k£240k

Frequently Asked Questions

How many qualifying years do I need for a full State Pension?
You need 35 qualifying years of National Insurance contributions to receive the full new State Pension of £241.30 per week (2026/27). You need a minimum of 10 qualifying years to receive any State Pension at all. Years spent raising children or caring can count through National Insurance credits, so a career break does not automatically create a gap if the credits were claimed at the time.
What happens if I defer my State Pension?
For every 9 weeks you defer, your State Pension increases by 1%, equivalent to just under 5.8% for every full year. There is no time limit on deferral, and the increase is paid on top of your regular pension for life.
Does the Triple Lock guarantee my pension rises every year?
Yes, the Triple Lock means the State Pension increases each April by the highest of average earnings growth, CPI inflation, or 2.5%. This ensures your pension keeps pace with the cost of living over time. The guarantee has been suspended once, in 2022, when the earnings element was set aside after the pandemic distorted wage data, so it is a policy commitment rather than a legal certainty.
Can I get State Pension if I have gaps in my National Insurance record?
Gaps reduce your pension proportionally. You can fill gaps by paying voluntary Class 3 National Insurance contributions for the past 6 tax years. Check your NI record on the Gov.uk website to identify and fill gaps. Voluntary contributions are not always worth buying: the state pension forecast on the same site shows whether an extra year would actually increase your entitlement before you pay.
At what age can I claim my UK State Pension?
The State Pension age is currently 66 for both men and women. It is scheduled to rise to 67 between 2026 and 2028, and to 68 between 2044 and 2046, although the government may bring the increase to 68 forward.

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Project your Workplace Pension (auto-enrolment) and SIPP. Estimate tax reliefs and compare savings strategies.

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

State Pension, Workplace Pension, SIPP & ISA

Understanding the State Pension

How does the New State Pension work?

The New State Pension (introduced in April 2016) is a flat-rate system radically different from continental systems. The amount does not depend on your salary, but solely on your years of National Insurance (NI) contributions.

Weekly pension = (Qualifying years / 35) x £241.30
  • Full amount 2026/27: £241.30 per week, approximately £1046/month or £12548/year
  • 35 qualifying years for the full amount
  • Minimum 10 qualifying years to be entitled to anything
  • Proportional: between 10 and 35 years, the amount is proportional to the number of years
Qualifying years and National Insurance

A qualifying year is a tax year (April to April) during which you have paid or been credited with enough National Insurance (NI) contributions.

  • Class 1 NI: Paid automatically if you earn more than £242/week (2026/27 threshold). Rate: 8% between £242 and £967/week.
  • Class 2 NI: For self-employed workers earning more than £6,725/year. Nominal amount: £3.45/week.
  • Class 3 (voluntary): Voluntary contributions (£17.45/week) to fill gaps. Possible for the last 6 tax years.
  • NI credits: Years credited free of charge for unemployment (JSA), illness (ESA), caring for children under 12 (Child Benefit), carers (Carer's Allowance).

Check your qualifying years: Log in to your account on gov.uk/check-state-pension to view your NI record and get an official estimate of your State Pension.

The Triple Lock

The Triple Lock is the government's guarantee that the State Pension increases each year by the highest of:

Earnings

Average earnings growth (Average Earnings Index)

Inflation

Consumer Price Index (CPI) for September

2.5%

Guaranteed minimum floor each year

This mechanism, in place since 2010, ensures that pensioners' purchasing power never declines. In 2026/27, the increase was 4.8% (driven by wage growth). The Triple Lock is politically popular but costly, and its continuation is regularly debated.

Auto-enrolment since 2012

Auto-enrolment (automatic enrolment), introduced progressively from 2012, has revolutionised retirement savings in the United Kingdom. Every employer must automatically enrol their eligible employees in a Workplace Pension.

  • Minimum total contribution: 8% of qualifying earnings (salary between £6,240 and £50,270)
  • Split: 5% employee + 3% employer (minimum)
  • Eligibility: Employees aged 22 to State Pension age, earning more than £10,000/year
  • Opt-out possible: The employee can opt out, but the employer must re-enrol every 3 years
  • Result: The number of employees saving for retirement has risen from 10.7 million (2012) to over 20 million
Defined Benefit vs Defined Contribution

The British system distinguishes two main types of private pensions:

Defined Benefit (DB)

  • Guaranteed pension based on salary and length of service
  • Typical formula: (1/60th) x salary x years
  • Risk borne by the employer
  • Declining in the private sector (too costly)
  • Still common in the public sector (NHS, teaching, civil service)

Defined Contribution (DC)

  • The amount depends on contributions and returns
  • Risk borne by the employee
  • Standard for auto-enrolment and SIPPs
  • Full flexibility since the Pension Freedoms of 2015
  • Access to the pot from age 55 (57 from 2028)

Pension Freedoms (2015): Major reform allowing free access to your DC pot from age 55, with no obligation to buy an annuity. Option of flexible withdrawal (drawdown) or lump sum.

Retirement age and reforms

The State Pension age has undergone and will undergo several changes:

Before 201865 (men), 60-65 (women, gradually equalised)
2018-202065 → 66 (for everyone)
2026-202866 → 67 (born after 5 April 1960)
2044-2046 (planned)67 → 68 (subject to review)
  • Deferral: Deferring the State Pension beyond the State Pension age earns +1% for every 9 weeks of deferral, approximately +5.8% per year. No cap.
  • No early retirement: Unlike France, there is no mechanism to claim the State Pension before the State Pension age. However, private DC pensions are accessible from age 55.
  • WASPI: The controversy over women born in the 1950s (Women Against State Pension Inequality) affected by the rapid increase from 60 to 66 without sufficient notice.