State Pension Calculator
Use your National Insurance qualifying years to estimate what State Pension you might receive each week, month and year. You can also test what deferring your claim could add.
2026/27 figuresNo data stored
Your National Insurance record
Uses the 2026/27 full new State Pension of £241.30 a week. Deferral rate: 1% for every 9 weeks deferred, or about 5.78% for a full year. This is an estimate. Your actual entitlement depends on your full NI record. Check your official forecast at gov.uk/check-state-pension.
Your estimated State Pension
Enter your figures above to see your estimate.
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Deferral comparison
Deferring means claiming later in exchange for a higher weekly amount. The table shows what different waiting periods could add.
| Deferral period | Weekly amount | Monthly amount | Annual amount | Extra per year vs no deferral |
|---|
Deferral increases the weekly amount by 1% for every 9 weeks deferred, which is about 5.78% for a complete year. The longer you defer, the higher the weekly amount, but you receive it for fewer years. Whether it makes sense depends on your health and whether you have other income while you wait.
How the new State Pension works
The new State Pension replaced the old system in April 2016. If you reach State Pension age after that date, these are the broad rules that apply.
Qualifying years
A qualifying year is one in which you paid, or were credited with, enough National Insurance contributions. Most employed people build a qualifying year automatically. Self-employed people usually build qualifying years through Class 2 National Insurance contributions, while Class 4 affects tax/National Insurance bills but does not itself build State Pension entitlement.
NI credits
You can receive NI credits without paying contributions in some situations. Child Benefit for a child under 12 can count. So can Carer's Allowance and some benefit claims during unemployment. Credits count as qualifying years.
Filling gaps
If you have gaps in your NI record, you may be able to pay voluntary Class 3 NI contributions to fill them. This can be valuable if you are short of the 35 years usually needed for a full pension. The government's website shows which years you can fill and what it costs.
Contracted out
If you were contracted out of the additional State Pension before 2016, a deduction called COPE may apply. Your starting amount may be lower than a simple qualifying-years calculation suggests. Your official forecast should reflect this.
State Pension age: what applies to you?
State Pension age is rising. Your date of birth decides the age that applies to you.
| Date of birth | State Pension age | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Before 6 October 1954 | 65 (men) / various (women) | Old State Pension rules applied |
| 6 October 1954 to 5 April 1960 | 66 | New State Pension, age 66 |
| 6 April 1960 to 5 April 1977 | 67 | Transitioning to 67 between May 2026 and March 2028 |
| 6 April 1977 onwards | 68 (expected) | Government has indicated 68, exact date not yet confirmed in law |
Check your exact State Pension age at gov.uk/state-pension-age. The date ranges above are approximate. The transition periods use precise birth date cutoffs.
Is it worth deferring your State Pension?
Deferral gives you a higher weekly amount, but you start receiving it later. The maths depends on how long you live.
Deferring by one year increases your weekly pension by about 5.78%. On the full new State Pension of £241.30 a week, that is roughly £13.94 extra a week, or about £725 a year. To break even on one year of deferral, you need to receive the higher pension for roughly 17 to 18 years after claiming. If you deferred from 67 to 68, that means living to around 85 or 86.
Deferral tends to make more sense if you are in good health and have other income to live on while you wait. It usually makes less sense if you need the income now. There is no single right answer. Your health and wider retirement income both matter.
The State Pension as part of a retirement plan
For most people the State Pension is a foundation, not a full retirement income. The full new State Pension of £241.30 a week is about £12,548 a year. For many households, that will not be enough on its own.
Retirement Calculator
Use this if you are still building your pension pot and want to see how the State Pension fits alongside your own savings.
Drawdown Calculator
Use this if you want to see how long a pension pot could last once the State Pension starts covering part of your income.
ISA vs Pension
Use this if you are comparing pension saving with ISA saving and want to see how the tax treatment changes the result.
Net Worth Calculator
Use this to bring your assets and debts together so you can see where your wider financial position stands.
Net Worth CalculatorThis calculator is a planning tool. It estimates your State Pension based on the qualifying years you enter. Your actual entitlement depends on your full National Insurance record, including contracted-out periods and any gaps or credits. The only way to get your official forecast is through the government's Check Your State Pension service. This calculator is not financial advice.