Check your State Pension age, estimate your weekly amount, and see how many more
National Insurance qualifying years you need for the full new State Pension.
Based on current GOV.UK rules for 2026-27, 2025-26, and 2024-25.
State Pension Calculator
20 of 35 years
Your State Pension age
68
Claim from June 2048
Estimated weekly amount
£137.89
57% of full rate
Annual equivalent
£7,170
Full rate: £241.30/week
Years until claim
22
22 years to go
Qualifying Years Progress
20 of 35 years57%
You need 15 more qualifying years to reach the full 35-year maximum and get the full new State Pension of £241.30/week.
About the Triple Lock
The UK State Pension is protected by the triple lock, which guarantees the annual increase is the highest of:
Average earnings growth
CPI inflation (September figure)
2.5%
For the 2026-27 tax year, the full new State Pension rose to £241.30 per week under the triple lock. The basic State Pension (for those who reached SPA before 6 April 2016) follows the same uprating mechanism.
How to increase your State Pension
Check your NI record — use the HMRC app or your Personal Tax Account to see gaps in your contribution history.
NI credits — you may automatically receive credits for periods of unemployment, caring responsibilities, or receiving certain benefits (Child Benefit for children under 12, Carer's Allowance, etc.).
Voluntary Class 3 contributions — you can fill gaps going back up to 6 years. Each qualifying year costs £18.40 per week but adds roughly £6.89/week (2026-27 rate) to your State Pension for life.
Check deadlines — the extended window for filling gaps between 2006 and 2018 closed on 5 April 2025. Only the standard 6-year lookback is available now.
Disclaimer: This calculator provides estimates based on current UK State Pension rules. Actual amounts depend on your full NI contribution record and may change with future legislation. Always check your State Pension forecast via GOV.UK for an official figure tied to your NI record.
Your State Pension age depends on your date of birth. Sex only matters for women born before 6 December 1953, whose State Pension age was brought up from 60 to 65 and equalised with men's between 2010 and 2018. For those born between 6 December 1953 and 5 October 1954, SPA is between 65 and 66 depending on the month of birth. For those born between 6 October 1954 and 5 April 1960, SPA is 66. For those born between 6 April 1960 and 5 March 1961, SPA is being phased in from 66 years 1 month to 66 years 11 months, rising by a month for each month of birth — this is the Pensions Act 2014 66-to-67 increase, currently underway. Anyone born between 6 March 1961 and 5 April 1977 has an SPA of 67, those born between 6 April 1977 and 5 April 1978 have an SPA between 67 and 68 depending on the month of birth (reached from May 2044), and anyone born on or after 6 April 1978 has an SPA of 68. Use this calculator with your exact date of birth to find your personal State Pension age and the month you can first claim.
How much is the full new State Pension in 2026-27?
The full new State Pension is £241.30 per week in the 2026-27 tax year, or about £12,547.60 per year. This applies if you have 35 or more qualifying years of National Insurance contributions. The rate is set each April under the triple lock — the highest of average earnings growth, CPI inflation, or 2.5%.
How many NI qualifying years do I need for the full State Pension?
You need 35 qualifying years of National Insurance contributions to receive the full new State Pension. With fewer than 35 years but at least 10 years, you receive a proportional amount. For example, 20 qualifying years gives you 20/35 (about 57%) of the full rate. You can fill gaps in your NI record by making voluntary Class 3 contributions.
What is the triple lock on the UK State Pension?
The triple lock guarantees that the State Pension increases each April by the highest of three measures: average earnings growth, CPI inflation (September figure), or 2.5%. This ensures the pension keeps pace with rising living costs and wages. The earnings part of the lock was set aside for the April 2022 increase, when CPI inflation was applied instead.
