Understanding the State Pension
Find out how the State Pension works, when you can access it, and how much you’ll get.
Check how much you need to save for retirement
What is the State Pension?
The State Pension is a regular payment from the government that most people can access when they reach their State Pension age. It’s usually paid every four weeks and is subject to tax.
There are currently two State Pension systems — the ‘basic State Pension,' and the ‘new State Pension’. The government introduced the new State Pension in 2016 to replace the basic State Pension, which will eventually be phased out.
The new State Pension applies to you if you’re:
- A man born on or after 6 April 1951
- A woman born on or after 6 April 1953
You’ll receive the basic State Pension if you’re:
- A man born before 6 April 1951
- A woman born before 6 April 1953
For many people, the State Pension is only part of their retirement income.
You might also have income from:
- A workplace and/or private pension
- Other earnings, such as from savings, investments or property
When can you access the State Pension?
This will depend on when you were born. Because people are living and working longer, the age you can access your State Pension is gradually increasing:
- If you were born between 6 October 1954 and 5 April 1960, you can access your State Pension at the age of 66.
- If you were born on or after 5 April 1960, this gradually increases to 67.
- If you were born on or after 5 April 1977, the State Pension age is set to gradually increase to 68 between 2044 and 2046. The State Pension age is reviewed by the government at least once every five years.
You don’t have to take your pension as soon as you reach State Pension age – you can defer it to increase your payments. You can also continue working past your State Pension age and still access it.
You can check your State Pension age using the government’s State Pension age tool.
How much is the State Pension (2025/26 rates)?
The amount you’ll get from the State Pension will depend on how many years you’ve made National Insurance contributions.
The full amount of the new State Pension for the 2025/26 tax year is £230.25 a week, or £11,973 a year. To get the full new State Pension, you’ll needat least 35 qualifying years of National Insurance contributions.
If you receive the basic State Pension, the full amount for the 2025/26 tax year is £176.45 a week, or £9,175 per year. To claim the full amount, you usually need to have made National Insurance contributions for at least 30 years.
In 2010, the government introduced a ‘triple lock system’. This means the State Pension increases each April, in line with whichever of these three measures is the highest:
- Inflation in September of the previous year, as measured by the Consumer Price Index
- Average increase in wages for May to June of the previous year 2.5%
How to check your eligibility
You’ll usually need at least 10 qualifying years on your National Insurance record to take any income from the new State Pension. To claim the full amount, you’ll need at least 35 qualifying years.
A qualifying year is one in which you were:
- working and made National Insurance contributions, or
- receiving National Insurance credits — for example, if you were unemployed, ill, an unpaid carer or claiming Child Benefit for a child under 12.
Some people have gaps in their National Insurance record, for example, if they took time off to look after children, or spent time working abroad. In many cases, you can make voluntary contributions to fill these gaps and increase the amount of State Pension you receive. You can find out more about voluntary National Insurance contributions on GOV.UK.
If you were contracted out of the ‘Additional State Pension’ (also known as ‘State Second Pension’ or ‘SERPs’) before April 2016, you may need more than 35 qualifying years to get the full State Pension. This is because some of your National Insurance contributions were either lower than people who were not contracted out or paid into your workplace or private pension instead.
Check your State Pension forecast on GOV.UK
Is the State Pension enough to live on?
If your income in retirement is low, you may be able to boost it through Pension Credit. This is a means‑tested benefit from the government that tops up the State Pension for people who don’t receive the full amount or who have limited income. It ensures you have a minimum guaranteed weekly income and can also give access to other support, such as help with housing costs or certain bills.
The State Pension provides a helpful foundation for your retirement income, but it’s unlikely to be enough on its own. That’s why it’s important to think about how much you’ll need to maintain your future lifestyle, and where that money will come from.
If you’ve worked for an employer or been self-employed, you may have built up some workplace or personal pension pots from over the years. If you can top these up, it will give your savings a welcome boost.
Our retirement planner will help you work out how much income you’ll need in retirement to have the lifestyle you want.
Can you receive a private or workplace pension and a State Pension?
Yes, the State Pension is provided by the government and is based on your National Insurance contributions. You can access it from your State Pension age. It’s completely separate from any private or workplace pension that you pay into, which you can usually access from the age of 55 (or age 57 from 2028). Paying into a private or workplace pension doesn’t affect your entitlement to the State Pension.
Discover more about the different types of pensions and what they offer.
What changed in the 2025/26 tax year?
In the 2025/26 tax year, the State Pension increased by 4.1%. This is in line with inflation measured by the Consumer Price Index in September 2024.
If you qualify for the new State Pension, the full amount you’ll receive for the 2025/26 tax year is £230.25 a week (up from £221.20 in 2024/25).
If you reached State Pension age before April 2016 and receive the basic State Pension, the full amount you’ll receive for the 2025/26 tax year is £176.45 a week (up from £169.50 in 2024/25).
There were no changes announced to the State Pension age for this year.
