Check your State Pension forecast
The full new State Pension is £241.30 a week in 2026/27 — but only if your National Insurance record supports it. A free forecast shows where you stand.
Whatever you save privately, the State Pension is still the foundation of retirement income for most people in the UK. For 2026/27 the full new State Pension is £241.30 a week (about £12,548 a year). You usually need 35 qualifying years of National Insurance for the full amount, and at least 10 years to receive any State Pension. A free forecast tells you your projected amount, your State Pension age, and whether gaps are worth filling.
Who this guide is for
People checking their National Insurance record and estimated State Pension before retirement, especially after caring, contracting out or years abroad. The 2026/27 headline rate is included.
Not for: Anyone treating a forecast as a guaranteed retirement plan or needing advice on voluntary National Insurance contributions.
How to get your forecast and what it shows
Use the official service at gov.uk/check-state-pension. You will need to sign in securely (Government Gateway or GOV.UK One Login, as directed). The forecast estimates what you could receive based on your NI record to date and assumptions about future contributions.
Also check your State Pension age — it is rising from 66 to 67 between 2026 and 2028 depending on date of birth. Private pension access ages are separate (often from 55, rising to 57 from April 2028 for many schemes).
If the forecast looks lower than you expected, dig into the NI record view. Missing years from time abroad, self-employment gaps, or periods without credited NI can all reduce the projection.
Print or save the forecast PDF when you run it. Numbers change as you add NI years, and having a dated snapshot helps you see whether voluntary contributions or a return to employed work actually moved the needle. If you are contracted out historically under older rules, or you have a mix of old basic State Pension and new State Pension elements, the forecast notes will matter more than headline weekly figures you see in the news.
Couples sometimes plan retirement income as a household. Each person needs their own forecast — you cannot “share” qualifying years. Inheritance and inherited State Pension rules are limited and specific; do not assume a partner’s record covers you.
Filling National Insurance gaps
Voluntary National Insurance contributions can fill some gaps and may increase your State Pension — but they are not automatically good value for everyone. Eligibility, deadlines and class of NI matter. Always check the forecast tool’s guidance and GOV.UK pages on voluntary contributions before paying.
Credits can also apply in situations such as certain benefits or caring responsibilities. If your record looks wrong, you can query it through the channels GOV.UK describes rather than guessing.
MoneyHelper has plain-English explainers on State Pension and NI that pair well with the official forecast: MoneyHelper State Pension.
How the State Pension fits with private pots
Think of the State Pension as a base layer. Workplace and personal pensions sit on top. A healthy plan usually combines: maximising workplace match and tax relief, understanding your State Pension forecast, and investing private pots appropriately for your timeline and risk tolerance.
Do not cash in private pensions early because a forecast “looks fine.” Longevity, rent or mortgage costs, and inflation all stretch retirement budgets. Conversely, do not ignore a weak NI record while over-focusing only on ISAs.
This is general information. Complex NI histories, overseas work or divorce pension sharings may need specialist help.
Read the forecast before filling gaps
The full new State Pension rate for 2026/27 is £241.30 a week, equivalent to £12,547.60 over 52 weeks. That headline is not an automatic entitlement. Your forecast reflects your National Insurance (NI) record, starting amount under transitional rules, contracted-out history and future assumptions. Some people need more than 35 qualifying years and some can receive less or, through protected amounts, more than the standard rate.
| Forecast line | What it tells you | What it does not |
|---|---|---|
| Amount based on record | Estimate earned so far | Promise at pension age |
| Amount if contributing | Potential with future years | Guarantee every year adds value |
| NI record gap | Year not currently qualifying | Proof paying it will raise pension |
Second example: Graham's forecast is £218.40 weekly based on his record and £241.30 if he contributes for four more years. The apparent gap is £22.90 weekly, but he should not divide mechanically and buy four historic years. Current future employment may fill the requirement free, while a pre-2016 gap might add less or nothing because of transitional calculations. He asks the Future Pension Centre which specific years would improve the amount before paying HMRC.
- Check State Pension age; it is not necessarily 65.
- Read both the forecast and NI-record services.
- Identify gaps and why they arose—low earnings, caring, self-employment or records error.
- Check missing NI credits, including Child Benefit-related credits, before paying voluntarily.
- Ask the appropriate official service whether each proposed year increases the forecast.
- Keep payment references and recheck the record after processing.
A qualifying year does not always mean 52 weeks of paid NI; credits and combined contributions can count. People who reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016 fall under the old system, so new-State-Pension examples are unsuitable. Deferring can increase payments under applicable rules, but break-even age, tax and health matter.
For planning, convert weekly pension to the same monthly basis as expenses: £241.30 × 52 ÷ 12 is about £1,045.63 gross monthly. State Pension is taxable income even though it is usually paid without tax deducted; HMRC may collect tax through other pensions.
Use the secure GOV.UK forecast and official contact numbers. Voluntary contributions can be irreversible and deadlines apply. This is general information, not a recommendation to pay or defer.
Worked UK example: reading a shortfall on the forecast
Priya checks her forecast and sees she is on track for less than the full £241.30 a week because she has 31 qualifying years so far and several blank years from an extended period abroad in her thirties.
The forecast and NI statement highlight which years are missing. Before buying voluntary NI, Priya compares the cost of filling specific years with the estimated weekly uplift shown in official guidance tools. In some cases filling gaps is excellent value; in others the uplift is small relative to the cost. The forecast makes that decision evidence-based instead of guesswork — and it costs nothing to run.
Step-by-step checklist
- Create or use your GOV.UK login and open the Check your State Pension service.
- Note your State Pension age and projected weekly amount.
- Review your National Insurance record for gaps or errors.
- Read GOV.UK guidance before paying any voluntary NI.
- Factor the forecast into a wider retirement income sketch with private pensions.
- Re-check after major life changes (long travel, caring, self-employment).
- Store a PDF or screenshot of the forecast with your financial records.
Common mistakes
- Assuming everyone automatically gets the full £241.30 a week.
- Confusing State Pension age with the age you can access private pensions.
- Paying voluntary NI without checking whether it increases your pension enough to be worthwhile.
- Ignoring the forecast for years and discovering gaps too late to fix easily.
When to get regulated help
Start with Check your State Pension on GOV.UK and State Pension age. For independent guidance, use MoneyHelper. For complex cases, consider Pension Wise (for defined contribution access guidance at eligible ages) or an FCA-regulated adviser.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the full new State Pension in 2026/27?
£241.30 a week, about £12,548 a year, following the triple-lock rise in April 2026. You usually need 35 qualifying NI years for the full amount.
What if I have fewer than 10 qualifying years?
You usually need at least 10 qualifying years to get any new State Pension. Check your forecast and NI options on GOV.UK.
Is the State Pension taxable?
It counts as taxable income, though many people have unused Personal Allowance that covers some or all of it depending on other income.
Does auto-enrolment affect my State Pension?
Workplace pension contributions are separate from the State Pension. NI paid on your earnings (and credits) builds the State Pension record.
Does every missing NI year reduce my pension?
No. Transitional rules, existing record and future qualifying years can mean a gap adds nothing. Confirm the effect of a specific year before paying.