How the New State Pension Works (UK)

The State Pension is the foundation of most people's retirement income in the UK. Here is how the new State Pension works, in plain English.

Who gets the new State Pension

The new State Pension is for people who reach State Pension age on or after 6 April 2016. If you reached it before that date, you get the older basic State Pension instead, which works differently.

How much it pays in 2026/27

The full rate of the new State Pension is £241.30 a week for 2026/27. That is about £12,548 a year. It rose by 4.8% in April 2026, from £230.25 a week.

The State Pension rises each April under the "triple lock". It goes up by the highest of average earnings growth, consumer price inflation or 2.5%.

Qualifying years decide how much you get

Your amount depends on the qualifying years on your National Insurance record:

You need at least 10 qualifying years to get any new State Pension.
You need 35 qualifying years for the full amount.
Between 10 and 35, you get a proportion. Each year adds one thirty-fifth of the full rate, which is about £6.89 a week in 2026/27.

Qualifying years	Roughly, a week	Roughly, a year
10	£68.94	£3,585
20	£137.89	£7,170
30	£206.83	£10,755
35 or more	£241.30	£12,548

A qualifying year is a year in which you worked and paid enough National Insurance, or got National Insurance credits, for example while looking after children or claiming certain benefits.

Try the State Pension calculator to estimate yours.

Check your State Pension forecast

Your official forecast shows how much you are on track to get and which years count. You can check it on GOV.UK ("Check your State Pension forecast"). If you find gaps, you may be able to fill them with voluntary National Insurance contributions. Look at the cost and the deadline first, because it is not worth it for everyone.

You have to claim it

The State Pension is not paid automatically. You need to claim it when you reach State Pension age. Find yours with our State Pension age calculator.

Deferring your State Pension

If you delay claiming, you can get more later. For people reaching State Pension age on or after 6 April 2016, GOV.UK says that for every 9 weeks you defer you get 1% added to your regular weekly payment for life. That works out as just under 5.8% for every 52 weeks. You must defer for at least 9 weeks to get increased regular payments.

Deferring suits some people and not others. It depends on your health, your other income and your tax position.

Tax on the State Pension

The State Pension counts as income, and you pay tax on your total income if it is above your Personal Allowance. For 2026/27 the Personal Allowance is £12,570.

The full new State Pension (about £12,548 a year) is just under that amount. So if the State Pension is all you have, you may pay no tax. But if you also have a workplace or private pension, or other income, the total can push you over the line, and tax is due on the amount above it.

What to do now

Check your forecast on GOV.UK.
If you have fewer than 35 years, see whether you can add years before you reach State Pension age.
Find your State Pension age and put the date in your diary.
Decide whether to claim straight away or defer.

Try it yourself State Pension calculator Estimate your State Pension from your National Insurance years. Open the calculator →

Sources

This article is for education and is not financial, tax or legal advice. Figures are checked against the sources above and may change. Read the full disclaimer.