How do I check my State Pension forecast UK?

Check for free at gov.uk/check-state-pension. Sign in with Government Gateway and you'll see your forecast amount, how many qualifying years you have, and when you can claim. It takes about 5 minutes if you have a Government Gateway account.

How many years do I need for full State Pension?

35 qualifying years for the full State Pension (£230.25/week in 2026/27). You need at least 10 years for any State Pension at all. You don't need consecutive years — any 35 years in your working life count.

Can I buy extra State Pension years?

Yes, you can pay voluntary National Insurance contributions to fill gaps going back up to 6 years. Buying years can be very good value, but not always — use the forecast to see if it would increase your pension first. The extended deadline to buy years back to 2006 ended in April 2025.

What's the full State Pension amount 2026/27?

The full new State Pension is £230.25 per week (£11,973/year) in 2026/27. If you have less than 35 qualifying years, you'll receive a proportionally lower amount. The amount increases each April by the 'triple lock'.

Why is my State Pension forecast lower than the full amount?

Common reasons include: fewer than 35 qualifying years, gaps from time abroad, time not working without claiming NI credits, low earnings that didn't qualify for NI, or being contracted out of the additional State Pension before 2016.

Should I pay voluntary NI contributions?

Usually yes, if buying a year will increase your State Pension forecast. At around £900 per year, you can add roughly £6.58/week to your pension. You'd recover the cost in about 2.6 years of retirement. Use the gov.uk forecast tool to check if buying would help you.

State Pension Forecast UK — How to Check What You'll Get | PocketWise

Your State Pension forecast is one of the most important financial documents you can access — yet millions of people never check it. Knowing what you’ll receive (and when) lets you plan properly for retirement and spot gaps you can fill to boost your income.

The good news: checking takes about 5 minutes online, and it’s completely free. Even better, many people discover they can increase their pension significantly by buying missing National Insurance years at excellent value.

Understanding your forecast matters now more than ever. With State Pension age rising and retirement costs increasing, you need clarity on what the state will provide and what you’ll need from private pensions or other savings.

This guide shows you how to get your forecast, understand what it means, and take action to maximise your State Pension.

Read more: See our State Pension guide for a complete overview of this topic.

How to Get Your Forecast

Online (Fastest Method)

Step	Action
1	Go to gov.uk/check-state-pension
2	Sign in with Government Gateway
3	Complete identity verification
4	View your forecast

If You Don’t Have Government Gateway

Step	Action
1	Go to gov.uk/government-gateway
2	Create account
3	Verify identity
4	Then access State Pension forecast

By Post

Method	Details
Form	BR19 (State Pension forecast request)
Download	gov.uk/government/publications/application-for-a-state-pension-statement
Post to	Address on form
Response time	Few weeks

Understanding Your Forecast

What You’ll See

Information	What It Means
Forecast amount	Weekly pension at current State Pension age
Qualifying years	Years with enough NI contributions
Years still needed	For maximum pension
State Pension age	When you can start claiming

Example Forecast

Category	Example
Current forecast	£185.50/week
Qualifying years so far	28 years
Years to maximum	7 more years
State Pension age	67

State Pension Amounts

New State Pension (Post April 2016)

Situation	Weekly Amount (2026/27)
Full (35 years)	£230.25
34 years	£223.67
30 years	£197.36
20 years	£131.57
10 years (minimum)	£65.79

Basic vs New State Pension

Type	Who Gets It
New State Pension	Reached State Pension age after 5 April 2016
Basic State Pension	Reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016

Qualifying Years

How You Build Them

Method	Details
Employment	Earning over £125/week (2026/27)
Self-employment	Class 2 NI paid
NI credits	Unemployment, child benefit, caring
Voluntary contributions	Buying missing years

NI Credits (Free Qualifying Years)

Situation	Credit Received
Claiming benefits	JSA, ESA, UC
Child Benefit (child under 12)	Automatic
Carer’s Allowance	Automatic
Jury service	Automatic
Maternity/paternity	Pay usually covers

Not Building Qualifying Years?

Situation	What Happens
Low earnings	May not qualify
Between jobs	May have gaps
Living abroad	Usually no UK record
At-home parent	Check Child Benefit registered

Checking Your NI Record

How to Check

Step	Action
1	Go to gov.uk/check-national-insurance-record
2	Sign in with Government Gateway
3	View year-by-year record

What to Look For

Record Shows	Meaning
Full year	Qualifying year ✓
Part year	May not count
No record	Gap in contributions
Credits	Received credits

Gaps in Your Record

Gap Type	Options
Missing recent years	May be corrected automatically
Errors	Contact HMRC to fix
Genuine gaps	Consider buying back

Buying Missing Years

Voluntary National Insurance

Feature	Details
What it is	Paying for years you missed
Cost	Varies by year (typically £900+)
How far back	Up to 6 years
Worth it?	Usually yes, but check first

Note: The extended deadline to buy years back to 2006 ended in April 2025. You can now only buy years within the last 6 tax years.

Is It Worth Buying?

Consider	Decision
Will it increase your forecast?	Check via gov.uk tool
How far from 35 years?	Buying makes sense if gap exists
Years until pension?	More years = more return
Can you afford it?	It is optional

How to Work Out Value

Example calculation:

Factor	Values
Cost of buying 1 year	£907
Extra pension per year	£6.58/week (£342/year)
Years to “break even”	£907 ÷ £342 = 2.7 years
If you live 20 years in retirement	£6,840 return on £907

Usually excellent value if you expect normal life expectancy.

How to Buy Missing Years

Step	Action
1	Check forecast shows buying would help
2	Call HMRC NI helpline: 0300 200 3500
3	Pay by card, direct debit, or bank transfer
4	Years credited to your record

Deadline for Buying Years

Standard Rule	Details
How far back	Last 6 tax years only
Extended deadline	Ended April 2025
Current position	Standard 6-year rule applies

Check your NI record for any gaps within the last 6 years and consider filling them before they move outside the window.

State Pension Age

Current State Pension Age

Birth Date	State Pension Age
Before 6 March 1961	66
6 March 1961 - 5 April 1977	66-67 (varies)
6 April 1977 onwards	67
Future	May rise to 68

Check Your Exact Date

How	Details
Online	gov.uk/state-pension-age
Enter birth date	Shows exact date

Increasing Your Forecast

Options to Build More Years

Method	How
Keep working	Until 35 years reached
Buy voluntary years	Fill gaps
Claim NI credits	If caring, unemployed, etc.
Register for Child Benefit	Even if not claiming money

If You’re a Stay-at-Home Parent

Action	Benefit
Claim Child Benefit	Gets NI credits if not working
Even if high earner	Register claim, opt out of payment
Grandparents caring	Can transfer credit

Grandparent Childcare NI Credit

Feature	Details
Situation	Grandparent cares for grandchild
Parent working	And claiming Child Benefit
Credit transfer	Parent can transfer NI credit to grandparent
Apply	Form CA9176

Frequently Asked Questions

“Is the forecast guaranteed?”

Answer	Details
It’s an estimate	Based on current rules
Could change	If you stop working
Rules could change	But usually honoured

“What if I’m self-employed?”

Situation	What Happens
Class 2 NI	Qualifies for State Pension
Paid through Self Assessment	Counts toward years
Check record	Ensure it’s showing

“What about my workplace pension?”

Different	State Pension
Workplace pension	From employer contributions
State Pension	From NI contributions
Both	Add together for retirement income

Summary: State Pension Forecast Checklist

Step	Action
1	Check forecast at gov.uk/check-state-pension
2	Review NI record for gaps
3	Identify missing years within last 6 tax years
4	Calculate if buying years makes sense
5	Consider buying gaps before they fall outside the 6-year window
6	Ensure you’re building years now
7	Check State Pension age

Your State Pension is a valuable part of retirement income — taking 10 minutes to check your forecast could help you plan better and take action to maximise it.

State Pension Forecast UK — How to Check What You'll Get

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