A quick reference to State Pension amounts and rules for 2025/26.
Read more: See our State Pension guide for a complete overview of this topic.
State Pension Amounts
Full New State Pension
| Period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Per week | £230.25 |
| Per month | ~£1,000 |
| Per year | £11,973 |
Basic State Pension (Pre-2016)
| Type | Weekly |
|---|---|
| Full basic | £176.45 |
| Over 80 | Minimum £105.45 |
Qualifying Years
What You Need
| For | Qualifying Years |
|---|---|
| Full new State Pension | 35 years |
| Any State Pension | Minimum 10 years |
| Maximum | 35 years |
How Years Qualify
| Source | Counts? |
|---|---|
| Working and paying NI | Yes |
| NI credits (unemployment, sickness) | Yes |
| Child Benefit (child under 12) | Yes |
| Carer’s credits | Yes |
| Voluntary contributions | Yes |
Partial State Pension
| Qualifying Years | Approximate Weekly |
|---|---|
| 35 years | £230.25 (full) |
| 30 years | £197.36 |
| 25 years | £164.46 |
| 20 years | £131.57 |
| 15 years | £98.68 |
| 10 years | £65.79 |
| Under 10 | Nothing |
Calculation
| Formula | |
|---|---|
| Full pension ÷ 35 | = value per year |
| £230.25 ÷ 35 | = £6.58 per year |
| Your years × £6.58 | = your amount |
State Pension Age
Current Age
| For | State Pension Age |
|---|---|
| Everyone now | 66 |
Rising to 67
| Birth Date | Pension Age |
|---|---|
| Before 6 April 1960 | 66 |
| 6 April 1960 - March 1961 | 66 and months |
| 6 April 1961 onwards | 67 |
Planned Rise to 68
| Birth Date | Pension Age |
|---|---|
| Before 6 April 1977 | 67 |
| 6 April 1977 - April 1978 | 67 and months |
| After 5 April 1978 | 68 |
Note: Age 68 timing subject to government review
Checking Your Entitlement
What to Check
| Resource | URL |
|---|---|
| State Pension forecast | gov.uk/check-state-pension |
| NI record | gov.uk/check-national-insurance-record |
| State Pension age | gov.uk/state-pension-age |
Your Forecast Shows
| Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Current estimate | What you’d get now |
| Full estimate | If you keep working |
| Qualifying years | How many you have |
| Gaps | Years missing |
| Pension age | When you can claim |
Filling NI Gaps
Voluntary Contributions
| Class | Weekly Rate |
|---|---|
| Class 3 | £17.75 (2025/26) |
| Annual cost | ~£925 |
When It’s Worth It
| Consider | If |
|---|---|
| Close to 35 years | May not need |
| Under 10 years | Worth getting to 10 |
| Good health | Longer to benefit |
| Other pension | May not need full SP |
Time Limits
| Gap Year | Deadline to Fill |
|---|---|
| Generally | Within 6 years |
| Pre-2006 extension | Check gov.uk |
Return on Investment
| Cost | Benefit |
|---|---|
| ~£925 per year | One qualifying year |
| Each year adds | ~£6.58/week |
| = £342/year | Extra pension |
| Break even | ~2.7 years |
Deferring State Pension
How Deferral Works
| Delay | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Every 9 weeks | +1% to pension |
| Per year | +5.8% |
| Must be | Whole weeks |
Example Deferral
| Deferral | Weekly Pension |
|---|---|
| None | £230.25 |
| 1 year | £243.60 |
| 2 years | £257.90 |
| 5 years | £297.05 |
Is Deferral Worth It?
| Factor | Consider |
|---|---|
| Life expectancy | Need ~17 years to benefit |
| Other income | Can you wait? |
| Tax | Higher pension = more taxable |
| Health | Personal factor |
Working Past Pension Age
Benefits
| Advantage | Details |
|---|---|
| No NI | Don’t pay after pension age |
| Extra income | Pension + salary |
| Defer pension | For higher amount |
| Still pay tax | On earnings |
Tax Implications
| Income Source | Taxable? |
|---|---|
| State Pension | Yes |
| Employment | Yes |
| Combined | Added together |
Triple Lock
How It Works
| Increases By | Highest Of |
|---|---|
| Inflation | CPI September |
| Earnings | Average growth |
| Minimum | 2.5% |
Recent Increases
| Year | Increase |
|---|---|
| 2024/25 | 8.5% |
| 2025/26 | 4.1% |
Summary
| Key Figures | 2025/26 |
|---|---|
| Full pension | £230.25/week |
| Annual amount | £11,973 |
| Years needed | 35 (10 minimum) |
| Current pension age | 66 |
| Action Items | Check |
|---|---|
| Your forecast | gov.uk |
| Your NI record | Any gaps? |
| Your pension age | When? |
| Worth topping up? | Value per year |
| Quick Lookup | Amount |
|---|---|
| Per qualifying year | ~£6.58/week |
| Deferral increase | 5.8%/year |
| Minimum years | 10 |
| Full pension years | 35 |