How much is the state pension?

How much is the state pension in 2025-26?

If you reached state pension age on or after 6 April 2016 - or are yet to reach it - you're covered under the new state pension.

In 2025-26, the full level of the new state pension is £230.25 a week or £11,973 a year. 

But you might get more or less than this amount. It depends on how many years’ worth of National Insurance (NI) contributions you’ve paid or been credited with.

To get the full state pension you need to have made 35 years of National Insurance contributions. These are known as 'qualifying years.'

If you've made fewer than 35 years' contributions and at least 10 years' worth, you'll still get a state pension - it will just be adjusted to reflect the number of qualifying years you have.

When can I claim the state pension?

Under current rules, you can claim the state pension when you turn 66.

The state pension age will rise to 67 between 2026 and 2028, affecting those born between April 1960 and April 1977.

If you were born after April 1977, your state pension age isn't yet confirmed.

That's because the state pension age is scheduled to rise to 68 between 2044 and 2046, but this could be brought forward. 

The government has to give at least 10 years' notice of a change. 

• Find out more: state pension age calculator

Who qualifies for the state pension?

You qualify for the state pension when you reach state pension age (currently 66), as long as you have built up at least 10 years of National Insurance contributions.

You will get a qualifying year that counts towards your state pension entitlement if:

• you're employed and earning over £12,584 from one employer
• you're self-employed and paying National Insurance contributions for a full tax year

If you're earning less than £12,584 a year but more than £6,396, you won't pay National Insurance but will still get a qualifying year.

If you have any gaps in your National Insurance record that mean you won't get the full state pension, you can pay voluntary contributions to build up your entitlement.

Will I get the state pension if I'm not working?

If you're not working, or have had a period of unemployment, you can still qualify for the state pension.

This is through National Insurance credits, which fill in any gaps in your National Insurance record. You'll receive credits if:

• you've been out of work because of illness, unemployment or maternity leave
• you're a parent of children under age 12 for whom you're claiming child benefit
• you're a carer for someone sick or disabled, or a foster carer, or receive Carer's Allowance

You'll also receive National Insurance credits if you are in work, but don't earn enough to pay National Insurance.

How do I claim the state pension?

If you live in the UK, you won't receive your state pension automatically when you reach state pension age. You'll get a letter four months before you retire, which will detail how you can claim.

There are three ways you can claim your state pension:

• Over the phone, by calling the state pension claim line (0800 731 7898).
• Online, by registering with Government Gateway via the Department for Work and Pensions website (it takes about seven days for your Government Gateway user ID and activation code to arrive in the post).
• By downloading the state pension claim form and sending it to your local pension centre. You can find this form on the government's website.

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What is the state pension triple lock?

The triple lock guarantees that the state pension will rise each year by a minimum of 2.5%.

Increases could be higher than 2.5% if average earnings growth or inflation - the other parts of the triple lock - are higher.

For example, in 2025, the state pension rose by 4.1% in line with average earnings growth, as this was the highest of the three triple lock measures. 

How can I boost my state pension?

It's possible to improve your state pension income by paying to fill gaps in your NI record. 

Before paying voluntary NI contributions, make sure that you’re getting any National Insurance credits you’re entitled to. 

These count towards your state pension entitlement in the same way as ordinary NI contributions but don’t cost you anything. 

You might be eligible if you’re caring for a child as a parent or grandparent, claiming statutory sick pay or looking after a sick or disabled person. 

Another way to boost your state pension is to delay when you take it, but this can take years to pay off. 

• Find out more: should I top up my state pension?

How do I get a state pension forecast?

You can get a state pension forecast from the DWP to find out how much state pension you're on track to get and the number of qualifying years on your National Insurance record.

To get a statement, call 0345 3000 168, visit the gov.uk website, or write to The Pension Service 9, Mail Handling Site A, Wolverhampton, WV98 1LU.

What is the Contracted-Out Pension Equivalent?

If you contracted out, your state pension forecast should include a figure known as a ‘contracted out pension equivalent’ (COPE). 

This is the equivalent of the additional state pension you would have got if you hadn’t been contracted out and is deducted from your state pension entitlement. 

If you’ve just started claiming the state pension, this figure will be shown on your claim confirmation letter as a ‘contracted-out deduction’. 

How much is the basic state pension in 2025-26?

If you reached state pension age before 6 April 2016, you're covered under the basic state pension.

This is worth £176.45 a week in 2025-26 (£9,175.40 a year).

Whether you're covered under the basic state pension or the new state pension, if you built up some additional state pension while you were working, you could get more than the headline amounts.

What if I was 'contracted out' of the additonal state pension?

Under the old state pension system, if you had a private pension, you had the option to ‘contract out’ of the additional state pension.

This involved paying less National Insurance, and instead of building up your state pension entitlement, you’d receive a boost to your workplace pot.

The arrival of the new state pension in 2016 ended contracting out, but your contracting-out history will still influence how much you get under both the old and the new system. 

For example, even if you have 35 years' of NI contributions, having been contracted out could mean you're not entitled to the full level of new state pension.

However, if you did build up additional state pension, your state pension will reflect this and might be higher than the headline amounts. 

• Find out more: what was 'contracting out'?

Has my state pension been underpaid?

As of 31 March 2025, the government had repaid more than £800m to more than 130,000 people who were underpaid their state pension due to system errors.

Women who reached state pension age before April 2016 are most likely to be affected.

You should be contacted automatically if you’re owed money, but if you think you have been underpaid, contact the Pensions Service on 0800 731 0469.

• Find out more: state pension underpayments explained

More state pension FAQs