Investing & Pensions
State Pension
The State Pension is a regular payment from the Government you can claim once you reach State Pension age. How much you get depends mainly on your National Insurance record.
Key information
- The full new State Pension is £241.30 a week in 2026/27
- You usually need 35 qualifying years of National Insurance for the full amount
- You need at least 10 qualifying years to get anything
- State Pension age is 66, rising to 67 between 2026 and 2028
On this page
How the new State Pension works
Most people reaching State Pension age now receive the “new” State Pension. It is based on your National Insurance (NI) record rather than your earnings or savings. For the 2026/27 tax year the full new State Pension is £241.30 a week, though not everyone gets the full amount — what you receive depends on your NI history.
The qualifying years you need
You build up entitlement through “qualifying years” — years in which you paid or were credited with enough National Insurance, for example through work or certain benefits such as those for carers or parents. You usually need 35 qualifying years for the full new State Pension, and at least 10 qualifying years to get any new State Pension at all. If you have gaps, you may be able to fill some by claiming NI credits or paying voluntary contributions.
State Pension age
You cannot claim until you reach State Pension age, which is currently 66. It is rising to 67 for people born on or after 6 April 1960, phased in between 2026 and 2028, and is legislated to rise to 68 in future. Your State Pension is not paid automatically — you have to claim it — and you can choose to defer it, which increases the amount you eventually receive.
Checking your forecast and planning
You can check your State Pension forecast and your National Insurance record for free on GOV.UK. This tells you what you are on track to get, your earliest claim date, and whether filling gaps could increase your pension. The State Pension is designed as a foundation rather than a full retirement income, which is why workplace and personal pensions matter alongside it.
Your rights & protection
- You are entitled to a free State Pension forecast and a record of your National Insurance contributions from GOV.UK.
- You may be able to fill gaps in your record with National Insurance credits or voluntary contributions, subject to the rules.
- You can choose to defer claiming your State Pension to increase the amount you later receive.
General information, not personal advice
Consumer Credit is an independent information service. We do not provide regulated financial advice or sell financial products. For advice on your own situation, speak to an appropriately authorised firm or a free service such as MoneyHelper. About Consumer Credit.
Sources
We checked this page against these official and authoritative sources.
- GOV.UK, The new State Pension: what you’ll get (opens in a new tab). Accessed 22 Aug 2026.
- GOV.UK, Benefit and pension rates 2026 to 2027 (opens in a new tab). Accessed 22 Aug 2026.
- GOV.UK, State Pension age (opens in a new tab). Accessed 22 Aug 2026.