The State Pension is a regular payment from the government that you receive once you reach State Pension age. How much you get depends on your National Insurance record — specifically, how many qualifying years you've built up during your working life.
New State Pension vs basic State Pension
If you reached State Pension age on or after 6 April 2016, you're on the new State Pension. If you reached it before that date, you're on the old basic State Pension plus any additional State Pension (SERPS or S2P) you earned.
The two systems work differently, and most people reading this will be on or heading towards the new State Pension. The full new State Pension for 2025/26 is £221.20 per week — around £11,500 per year. That's not going to fund a lavish retirement on its own, but it provides a reliable baseline.
Qualifying years
You need 35 qualifying years of National Insurance contributions to get the full new State Pension. You need at least 10 qualifying years to get anything at all. Between 10 and 35 years, you receive a proportional amount.
A qualifying year means you either paid or were credited with enough National Insurance contributions during that tax year. You build up qualifying years by:
Working and earning above the Lower Earnings Limit (£6,396 per year for 2025/26). If you earn above this threshold, you get a qualifying year even if your earnings are below the point where you actually start paying NI.
Receiving National Insurance credits. You get these automatically if you're claiming certain benefits — Jobseeker's Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance, Carer's Allowance, or Child Benefit for a child under 12. People who are unemployed and actively seeking work also receive credits.
Paying voluntary contributions. If you have gaps in your record, you can pay Class 3 voluntary contributions to fill them. This can be extremely good value — a single year's voluntary contribution costs around £824 and could add roughly £328 per year to your State Pension for life. If you live for 20+ years after retiring, the return dwarfs the cost.
Checking your State Pension forecast
The single most useful thing you can do right now is check your forecast on GOV.UK. You'll need a Government Gateway account. The forecast shows your current entitlement, what you're projected to get at State Pension age, and whether you have any gaps in your NI record that you could fill.
Do this sooner rather than later. There are time limits on how far back you can pay voluntary contributions to fill gaps — generally six years, though a temporary extension allowed people to fill gaps going back to April 2006. Check the current deadline on GOV.UK as this changes.
When you can claim
State Pension age is currently 66 for both men and women. It's rising to 67 between 2026 and 2028, and further increases to 68 are planned. You can check your personal State Pension age on GOV.UK — it depends on your date of birth.
The State Pension doesn't arrive automatically. You have to claim it, and you should receive a letter about four months before you reach State Pension age telling you how. You can claim online, by phone, or by post. If you don't receive the letter, contact the Pension Service directly.
Deferring your State Pension
You don't have to claim your State Pension as soon as you're eligible. For every nine weeks you defer, your pension increases by 1% — that's roughly 5.8% per year. There's no maximum deferral period.
Whether deferring makes financial sense depends on your circumstances. If you're still working and don't need the income, deferring means a higher pension later. But you need to live long enough after claiming to recoup the payments you missed. Roughly speaking, it takes about 17 years of the higher pension to make up for the income you gave up. If you defer for one year and start claiming at 67, you'd break even around age 84.
State Pension and tax
The State Pension counts as taxable income, though it's paid before any tax is deducted. If your total income (State Pension plus any other income) exceeds the Personal Allowance (£12,570 for 2025/26), you'll owe tax on the excess. If you have other income sources, HMRC adjusts the tax code on your other income to collect the tax owed on your State Pension.
The triple lock
The State Pension increases each April by the highest of three measures: inflation (CPI), average earnings growth, or 2.5%. This triple lock has been a political commitment rather than a legal requirement, and there's ongoing debate about its long-term affordability. But for now, it means the State Pension generally keeps pace with the cost of living.
Maximising your State Pension
Check your NI record for gaps and consider filling them with voluntary contributions — the return is hard to beat. If you're a parent or carer, make sure you're claiming the benefits that provide NI credits. If you're self-employed, ensure you're paying Class 2 NI contributions. And if you're approaching State Pension age, get your forecast and plan accordingly.