How much is the State Pension in 2026/27?
The full new State Pension in 2026/27 is £221.20 per week — equal to £11,502 per year or £958 per month. This applies to people who reached State Pension age on or after 6 April 2016 and have built up 35 qualifying National Insurance (NI) years.
The State Pension is uprated each April under the triple lock: it rises by the highest of earnings growth, CPI inflation, or 2.5%. This makes it one of the few guaranteed inflation-protected income sources available in the UK.
New vs old State Pension: If you reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016, you receive the basic State Pension (maximum £169.50/week in 2026/27) plus any additional State Pension (SERPS/S2P) you built up. This guide focuses on the new State Pension for those reaching State Pension age from April 2016 onwards.
NI qualifying years explained
Your State Pension is calculated from your National Insurance record. Each qualifying year earns you one year of entitlement. You need 35 qualifying years for the full new State Pension, and a minimum of 10 qualifying years to receive any State Pension at all.
| Qualifying NI years | Weekly State Pension | Annual State Pension |
|---|
| 10 years (minimum) | £63.20 | £3,286 |
| 20 years | £126.40 | £6,573 |
| 25 years | £158.00 | £8,216 |
| 30 years | £189.60 | £9,859 |
| 35 years (full) | £221.20 | £11,502 |
Each qualifying year is worth approximately £6.32/week (£221.20 ÷ 35) — or around £329/year in extra State Pension income. This figure matters when deciding whether to fill NI gaps (see below).
What counts as a qualifying year?
- Employment: Earning above the lower earnings limit (£6,396 in 2026/27) and paying Class 1 NI
- Self-employment: Paying Class 2 NI (or having profits above the small profits threshold)
- NI credits: Received automatically when claiming Child Benefit (for children under 12), Jobseeker's Allowance, Employment Support Allowance, Carer's Allowance, or other eligible benefits
- Voluntary contributions: Paying Class 3 NI to fill gaps (see below)
Career breaks matter: Years spent caring for children, studying, or working abroad without paying UK NI can create gaps. Anyone who has taken significant time out of paid employment should check their NI record.
How to check your State Pension forecast
You can check your State Pension forecast for free via the government's Check your State Pension forecast service. It shows:
- Your current NI record (qualifying years to date)
- How much State Pension you are on track to receive
- Any gaps in your NI record
- Whether paying voluntary contributions would increase your forecast
The service is available on GOV.UK and requires a Government Gateway account. You can also request a State Pension statement by post (BR19 form).
Check early, not late: Many people only look at their NI record close to retirement. Checking in your 40s or 50s gives you time to fill gaps cost-effectively or to plan contributions strategically.
Filling gaps in your NI record
If you have gaps in your NI record, you may be able to fill them by paying voluntary Class 3 NI contributions. The cost in 2026/27 is approximately £824/year per gap year.
Is it worth filling gaps?
Worked example
You have 32 qualifying years — three years short of the full State Pension. Each missing year costs £824 in Class 3 contributions and adds £329/year to your State Pension. You break even after approximately 2.5 years of retirement (£824 ÷ £329 ≈ 2.5). At current life expectancy (mid-80s for most people at State Pension age), filling three gaps would cost £2,472 and return over £10,000 in extra State Pension income over a 20-year retirement.
Voluntary contributions are nearly always worthwhile for people with fewer than 35 qualifying years, unless you have a terminal illness or very short expected retirement. HMRC allows you to fill gaps going back up to 6 years — and in some cases further under extended deadlines.
You cannot exceed 35 qualifying years by making voluntary contributions — additional years beyond 35 do not further increase your State Pension.
Deferring your State Pension
You do not have to claim your State Pension as soon as you become eligible. You can defer it — and it will increase for each week you delay.
| Deferral period | Increase | New weekly amount | New annual amount |
|---|
| 1 year | +5.8% | £233.99 | £12,167 |
| 2 years | +11.5% | £246.64 | £12,825 |
| 3 years | +17.3% | £259.46 | £13,492 |
The deferral rate is 1% per 9 weeks — approximately 5.78% per year. If you defer for one year you break even after about 17 years of pension payments. Deferral makes most sense if:
- You are still working and have other income at State Pension age
- Claiming State Pension would push you into a higher tax bracket
- You expect to live well beyond the average life expectancy
No lump sum for deferral: Since April 2016, deferred State Pension is only paid as a higher weekly amount — the option to take a one-off taxable lump sum was removed for anyone reaching State Pension age after 6 April 2016.
Is the State Pension taxed?
Yes. The State Pension counts as taxable income, but it is paid gross — HMRC does not deduct tax at source. This creates a practical point worth understanding:
- If your only income is the State Pension (£11,502) and it is below the personal allowance (£12,570), no tax is due and no action is needed.
- If you also have private or workplace pension income, HMRC combines both sources. Any tax owed is collected via a PAYE tax code applied to your private pension payments.
- If your only taxable income is the State Pension and it exceeds £12,570 (possible if the triple lock drives large increases), HMRC will contact you to arrange payment via Self Assessment.
Tax example — State Pension + private pension
State Pension: £11,502. Private pension: £8,000. Total income: £19,502. Personal allowance: £12,570. Taxable income: £6,932. Tax at 20%: £1,386. HMRC applies a reduced tax code to the private pension payments to collect this £1,386 — approximately £115/month deducted from the private pension. The State Pension continues to be paid in full.
Pension Credit
Pension Credit is a means-tested benefit that tops up the income of pensioners below a minimum threshold. It is one of the most under-claimed benefits in the UK — an estimated 800,000–1,000,000 eligible pensioners do not claim it.
| Pension Credit type | Purpose | Threshold (approx. 2026/27) |
|---|
| Guarantee Credit | Tops up income to a minimum | ~£218/week single, ~£333/week couple |
| Savings Credit | Rewards some savings (old SP only) | Available only if reached SPA before April 2016 |
Claiming Guarantee Credit also unlocks access to housing benefit, council tax reduction, free TV licence (if over 75), and cold weather payments. If your State Pension income is below the guarantee threshold, claiming Pension Credit is almost always worth it.
You can apply for Pension Credit by calling the Pension Credit helpline or online via GOV.UK.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the State Pension in 2026/27?
The full new State Pension is £221.20 per week — £11,502 per year. You need 35 qualifying NI years to receive the full amount and a minimum of 10 years to receive any payment at all.
What is State Pension age?
State Pension age is currently 66 for both men and women. It is scheduled to rise to 67 between 2026 and 2028. You can check your personal State Pension age on GOV.UK by entering your date of birth.
Can I get the State Pension if I have lived abroad?
It depends on your NI record. Years spent working in the UK and paying NI count towards your State Pension regardless of where you now live. If you worked in an EU country or a country with which the UK has a Social Security agreement, those contributions may also count. If you retire abroad, the State Pension is payable but may be frozen (not uprated annually) depending on the country — check GOV.UK for the current list of countries where the triple lock uplift applies.
What happens to my State Pension if I die before claiming it?
If you die before claiming your State Pension, your spouse or civil partner may inherit some or all of it depending on their own NI record and when they reached State Pension age. Under the new State Pension, inheritance rights are more limited than under the old system. Your estate does not receive a lump sum for unclaimed State Pension.
How is the State Pension different from a private pension?
The State Pension is a government-backed guaranteed income paid from NI contributions — it is not invested and cannot run out. A private pension is an investment vehicle where your contributions and employer contributions are invested in assets; the eventual income depends on investment returns and how you draw the money. The State Pension provides a secure baseline; private pensions provide the flexibility and scale to build on top of that base.