The 2026/27 rates
There are two State Pension systems, and which one you're on depends purely on when you reached State Pension age. Both rose by 4.8% from 6 April 2026 under the triple lock:
| Which pension | Weekly (full rate) |
|---|
| New State Pension — reached State Pension age on or after 6 April 2016 | £241.30 |
| Basic (old) State Pension — reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016 | £184.90 |
Over a year that's £12,547.60 on the full new State Pension and £9,614.80 on the full basic pension — though many people on the old system also receive additional State Pension (SERPS / State Second Pension) on top of the basic amount, so old-system totals vary a lot.
These are the full rates. What you get depends on your National Insurance record — many people get less than the full amount, and some get more. The only way to know your own figure is the free forecast below.
State Pension age is rising — 66 to 67
State Pension age has been 66 for both men and women. It is now rising to 67 in stages between 6 April 2026 and April 2028:
- Born before 6 April 1960 — your State Pension age is 66.
- Born 6 April 1960 to 5 March 1961 — your State Pension age is between 66 and 67, on a month-by-month phased timetable.
- Born on or after 6 March 1961 — your State Pension age is 67.
A further rise to 68 is currently scheduled to phase in between 2044 and 2046, though governments review this. Your exact date is shown in your free forecast at gov.uk/check-state-pension.
Born around 1960–61? Check your exact date
If your birthday falls in the transition window, your State Pension age could be several months later than you've assumed — which matters for retirement plans, workplace pension decisions and bridging income. Two minutes on the GOV.UK checker settles it.
Qualifying years, your forecast, and topping up
The State Pension is built from your National Insurance record:
- 35 qualifying years are usually needed for the full new State Pension.
- At least 10 qualifying years are needed to get anything at all.
- Years count from work (paying NI), or from NI credits — for example claiming Child Benefit for a child under 12, being a carer, or receiving certain benefits.
Check your forecast — free, two minutes
The single most useful thing on this page: gov.uk/check-state-pension shows your projected weekly amount, your State Pension age, how many qualifying years you have, and any gaps — free, with a Government Gateway login.
Filling gaps with voluntary NI
If your record has gaps, you can usually pay voluntary National Insurance contributions for the previous six tax years to fill them. A voluntary year typically pays for itself within a few years of drawing your pension — and the higher pension then continues for life — which is why it's often called one of the best-value financial moves available.
Check before you pay — not every gap is worth filling
Some gap years won't increase your pension at all (for example if you'll reach 35 years anyway, or you were contracted out).
Always check your forecast first, and if in doubt contact the Pension Service before paying a penny. And ignore anyone who cold-calls offering to "boost your State Pension" for a fee — the official routes are free to check, and cold-calls about pensions are a classic scam pattern. Suspicious? Run it through
our scam checker.
The triple lock — and the tax catch
Each April the State Pension rises by the highest of three measures — the "triple lock":
- Average wage growth (May–July) — 4.8% this year, the winner for 2026/27.
- September's CPI inflation.
- 2.5% as a minimum floor.
One quiet consequence: the State Pension counts as taxable income, and at £12,547.60 a year the full new State Pension now sits just under the £12,570 personal allowance. If you have any other income — a workplace pension, savings interest, part-time work — some of it is likely to be taxed. Nothing is wrong if you get a letter about it; just don't ignore it — we can help you read it.
Low income? Pension Credit tops you up
If you're over State Pension age and your income is low — common if you have fewer than 35 qualifying years — Pension Credit tops up your weekly income to £238.00 if you're single or £363.25 as a couple (2026/27). It's one of the UK's most under-claimed benefits, and it's a gateway: it unlocks Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction, a free TV licence at 75, the Warm Home Discount and more.
Even £1 of Pension Credit opens the gateway
If your State Pension came out lower than you hoped, don't stop there — check Pension Credit before anything else. Our full plain-English guide:
Pension Credit — who qualifies and how to claim.
And if you've worked for several employers over the years, you may have old workplace pensions you've lost track of — the free official Pension Tracing Service finds them.
How to claim — it is not automatic
The State Pension is never paid automatically. The Pension Service normally posts you an invitation letter about 4 months before you reach State Pension age — but even without the letter, you can claim once you're within 4 months of your date.
Claim it now — free · it is never paid automatically
Have ready: your National Insurance number, bank or building society details, and the invitation code from your letter if you have one. Phone line open Monday–Friday, 8am–6pm. You can also claim by posting form BR1.
- Check your forecast first at gov.uk/check-state-pension so you know what to expect and whether any gap is worth filling.
- Claim online, by phone or by post from 4 months before your State Pension age (see the box above).
- Or defer. If you don't claim, your pension is deferred and increases — under the new State Pension, by 1% for every 9 weeks you put off claiming. Deferring can make sense if you're still working, but extra pension is taxable too, so weigh it up.
- Then check Pension Credit if your total weekly income is below £238.00 single / £363.25 couple — see our Pension Credit guide.
Free UK support
- GOV.UK State Pension forecast — gov.uk/check-state-pension. Your amount, your age, your gaps.
- Pension Service claim line — 0800 731 7898 (Mon–Fri, 8am–6pm). Welsh language: 0800 731 7936.
- MoneyHelper — free government-backed pensions guidance for any regulated pension decision.
- Citizens Advice — free help with State Pension, Pension Credit and benefits questions.
- Pension Tracing Service — find lost workplace pensions free: our guide.