Retirement Calculator
Estimate what a retirement pot could look like by a chosen age. This is a projection tool, not pension advice.
Enter your retirement figures
This projection does not include tax, pension rules, fees, employer matching, inflation or state pension. It is a simple estimate based on the numbers entered.
Your retirement estimate
Your result will update as you change the figures.
Save or share this scenario
The page URL captures everything you've entered above. Copy it to come back later or share these inputs with someone.
Year-by-year projection
A simple estimate of how the pot could change before retirement.
| Year | Age | Total paid in | Estimated growth | Projected pot |
|---|
Understanding the retirement calculator inputs
The calculator above projects what your pension pot could be worth at a chosen retirement age. Each input matters, but the growth rate does the most work over longer timeframes.
Current age
Where you are now. The longer the gap until retirement, the more compound growth can do.
Current pot
What you already have across all pensions and investment accounts you'll use for retirement.
Monthly contribution
What goes in each month. Include both your contributions and any employer contributions if you're using a workplace pension.
Retirement age
When you want to stop working. UK private pensions can be accessed from 55 (rising to 57 in April 2028); State Pension age is separate.
Where retirement money usually comes from in the UK
Most people in the UK end up with retirement income from three places. Understanding which one the calculator models matters.
State Pension
A flat-rate payment from the government once you reach State Pension age (currently 66). Based on your National Insurance record. Not modelled by this calculator.
Workplace pension
Auto-enrolment means most UK employees contribute, with the employer adding more. This pot grows tax-efficiently and is what most people model here.
Personal pension or SIPP
A pension you control yourself, often opened alongside a workplace one. Same tax rules: contributions get tax relief, growth is tax-free inside the wrapper.
The calculator is for the second and third; your private retirement pot. Add your State Pension forecast (free at gov.uk) on top when planning total retirement income.
What growth rate should I assume?
Over 20-40 years, small differences in the assumed growth rate produce big differences in the projected pot. The honest approach is to test a range.
Lower projection
2%–3%A cautious scenario. Useful for stress-testing; what does your pot look like if returns disappoint?
Middle projection
5%Roughly the middle of the FCA's required projection rates for regulated pension illustrations. A sensible central case.
Higher projection
7%–8%Closer to long-run global equity returns. Realistic for a 100% equity portfolio held for decades, but not guaranteed.
These are nominal rates before fees and inflation. If inflation runs at 2-3% and platform fees take 0.3-0.5%, the spending power of your pot grows more slowly than the headline number suggests.
What different contribution levels could become
Starting at age 30, retiring at 65, zero starting pot, 6% annual growth. Illustrative only.
| Monthly contribution | Pot at 65 | Total contributed | Estimated growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| £200/month | £275,920 | £84,000 | £191,920 |
| £400/month | £551,840 | £168,000 | £383,840 |
| £600/month | £827,761 | £252,000 | £575,761 |
| £1,000/month | £1,379,601 | £420,000 | £959,601 |
Workplace pension contributions get tax relief, so £400/month from your pocket can mean more than £400/month actually going in. Adjust your input accordingly.
Why starting age matters so much
The single biggest lever for most people isn't the monthly contribution; it's the number of years it has to grow.
£200 a month invested from age 25 to 65 at 6% growth ends up at roughly £400,000. The same £200 a month started at 35 ends at around £200,000; half as much, despite contributing 75% of the total over 30 years instead of 40.
This is why time in the market matters so much for pension projections. Late starters can still build meaningful pots; they may need to contribute more, work a little longer, or combine both.
Common retirement calculator mistakes
A retirement projection is only as useful as the assumptions behind it. Avoid these.
Using one growth rate
The future doesn't deliver a smooth 7% a year. Model a low, middle and high scenario to see the range.
Ignoring inflation
£1 million in 30 years won't buy what £1 million buys today. Mentally discount the projected pot by 2-3% a year for a real-terms feel.
Forgetting fees
Platform and fund fees of 0.5-1% a year compound against you. They can knock 10-25% off the final pot over a working lifetime.
Leaving out the employer match
If your employer matches contributions, leaving the match unclaimed can mean missing valuable employer money.
Modelling the wrong age
The pension access age (currently 55, rising to 57) is different from the State Pension age (currently 66). Use the right one for your plan.
Treating the projection as a promise
Projections are educational. Markets, taxes and your own circumstances will all shift. Revisit the plan yearly.
Retirement Calculator FAQs
The questions that come up most often when people start projecting a pension pot.
What growth rate should I use?
Test a range; 3%, 5% and 7% is a reasonable spread. Don't anchor on a single number.
Does this include the State Pension?
No. The State Pension is a separate income stream; check your personal forecast on gov.uk and add it on top.
When can I access my pension?
Currently 55 in the UK, rising to 57 from April 2028. State Pension age is separate.
Should I include my employer contribution?
Yes; the calculator wants total monthly contributions going in, including anything from your employer.
Tax and official tools
The projected pot is shown before tax. When you draw a pension, usually 25% is tax-free and the rest is taxed as income, so the pot is not the same as spendable money.
Sources used for this calculator:
Where the pension sits
Building a pot means choosing where it is held and what it costs. If you have old pensions scattered around, bringing them together can help, with care. The Knowledge Hub covers choosing a SIPP provider and consolidating old pension pots.
Sources, assumptions and review date
Last reviewed: 19 May 2026. This calculator projects a pot from your own inputs and does not model tax, fees, inflation, State Pension entitlement or pension scheme rules.
For pension tax limits, check GOV.UK pension scheme rates. For State Pension age and entitlement, check GOV.UK before relying on any retirement plan.