How Much State Pension Will I Get? UK 2025/26 Complete Guide

New State Pension vs Basic State Pension

The UK State Pension system changed significantly in April 2016. There are now two different systems in operation, depending on when you reached State Pension age:

• New State Pension: Applies to men born on or after 6 April 1951 and women born on or after 6 April 1953. This is a flat-rate pension based solely on your NI record.
• Basic State Pension (old system): Applies to those who reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016. This older system included additional components such as SERPS (State Earnings-Related Pension Scheme) and the State Second Pension.

This guide focuses primarily on the new State Pension, which is the system applicable to the vast majority of working-age people today who have not yet reached State Pension age.

State Pension Rates 2025/26

The new State Pension rate for 2025/26, in effect from 7 April 2025, is £221.20 per week. This represents an increase of 4.1% from the previous year's rate of £221.20 per week (applied under the triple lock guarantee). The annual equivalent is approximately £11,502, though the exact annual figure depends on which days in the tax year payments are made.

National Insurance Years and How They Count

Your State Pension entitlement is determined by the number of qualifying years you have accumulated in your National Insurance record. A qualifying year is a tax year in which you either paid, were treated as having paid, or were credited with National Insurance contributions.

What Counts as a Qualifying Year?

You build up NI qualifying years in several ways:

• Employed: Paying Class 1 NI contributions through PAYE — you need to earn at least the Lower Earnings Limit (£6,396 in 2025/26) for the year to count.
• Self-employed: Paying Class 2 NI contributions (voluntary for profits below the Small Profits Threshold, compulsory above).
• NI credits: Automatically credited if you claim Child Benefit for a child under 12, claim certain benefits (Universal Credit, Jobseeker's Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance), are a carer, or are a foster carer.
• Voluntary contributions: Paying Class 3 NI to fill gaps (see below).
• Working abroad in a country with a reciprocal NI agreement: Some overseas periods can count.

Pension Sharing on Divorce

If you divorce or dissolve a civil partnership, the court may issue a pension sharing order that divides either partner's State Pension entitlement. This can increase or decrease the pension you receive in retirement depending on the terms of the order.

How to Check Your State Pension Forecast

You can check your State Pension forecast online through the government's official service at gov.uk/check-state-pension. You will need to log in with Government Gateway credentials (the same login used for personal tax accounts, Self Assessment, and other HMRC services).

The online forecast shows you:

• Your estimated State Pension amount at State Pension age based on your NI record to date
• How much you could get if you continue working until State Pension age
• The number of qualifying NI years you currently have
• Any gaps in your NI record
• Whether you can fill gaps and the cost of doing so

Deferring Your State Pension

You do not have to claim your State Pension as soon as you reach State Pension age. Choosing to delay claiming — known as deferring — increases the weekly amount you will receive when you do start claiming.

Deferral makes financial sense if you expect to live well into your 70s and 80s. The "break even" point for most people who defer for a year is approximately 17–18 years after State Pension age. There is no maximum deferral period, but the increase does not apply if you are claiming certain benefits during the deferral period. You cannot defer if you are already claiming your State Pension.

Unlike the old State Pension system, the new State Pension cannot be taken as a lump sum in exchange for deferral — you only receive the increased weekly payment.

The Triple Lock Explained

The triple lock is the government guarantee that the State Pension rises each April by the highest of three measures:

1. The growth in average earnings (as measured by the Average Weekly Earnings index for May to July)
2. The rate of CPI inflation (as measured in September)
3. 2.5%

*Projected; confirm at gov.uk for confirmed 2025/26 rates.

The triple lock was introduced in 2010 and has been in place (with a brief modification in 2022/23 to a double lock) ever since. It represents a significant long-term commitment of public funds and has been a subject of political debate, though no government has yet abolished it.

Pension Credit for Low Earners

Pension Credit is a means-tested benefit available to people who have reached State Pension age and have income below a minimum threshold. It is divided into two parts:

Guarantee Credit

Guarantee Credit tops up your income to a minimum weekly amount. In 2025/26:

• Single person: £218.15 per week
• Couple: £332.95 per week

If your income from all sources (including State Pension, private pension, investment income, and earnings) is below these thresholds, Guarantee Credit makes up the difference. You can have capital of up to £10,000 without it affecting your entitlement; above this, a notional income of £1 per week per £500 (or part thereof) is assumed.

Savings Credit

Savings Credit is an additional amount available only to people who reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016 (the old system). It rewards people who made modest provision for retirement beyond the basic State Pension. It is capped at £17.01 per week for single claimants and £19.03 for couples in 2025/26.

Buying Voluntary National Insurance Contributions

If your NI record has gaps — perhaps because you took time out of work to raise children, study, or live abroad — you may be able to fill those gaps by paying voluntary Class 3 NI contributions. The cost for 2025/26 is £824.20 for a full year.

Each extra qualifying year you buy adds approximately £6.32 per week (£328.64 per year) to your State Pension for life. At that rate, the break-even point is less than three years — making voluntary NI contributions one of the best-value financial decisions available to those with incomplete records.

Deadlines for Filling Gaps

You can normally fill NI gaps going back six tax years. The deadline for paying Class 3 voluntary contributions for a given tax year is typically 5 April six years later. HMRC may agree to extend this deadline in some circumstances, and there have been periodic extensions for certain older cohorts — always check current gov.uk guidance before assuming a gap can no longer be filled.

You can check which years have gaps and get the exact cost of filling them through your personal tax account at gov.uk or by contacting the Future Pension Centre.

Who Should Consider Voluntary Contributions?

• People approaching State Pension age who have fewer than 35 qualifying years
• Those who took career breaks (parenting, caring, studying) without claiming NI credits
• Expats who worked abroad for extended periods outside reciprocal NI agreement countries
• Self-employed people who did not pay Class 2 NI in years where profits were below the small profits threshold

Frequently Asked Questions