- Published
It may well be decades away, but do you know how much money you will get when you stop working?
uncertain
you → publish → money
The current state pension is soon likely to top £13,000 a year.
asserted
pension → top → 13,000
Yet one in eight people surveyed by the UK tax authority have never checked how much money they are forecast to receive.
asserted
they → survey → money
Here's how to find out, and what you can do now to boost it.
asserted
you → find → it
If you're working, it is highly likely you're contributing to the state pension - paid by the government when you hit pension age in your late 60s.
asserted
you → work → 60s
At the moment:
the flat-rate state pension - for those who reached state pension age after April 2016 - is £241.30 a week (£12,547.60 a year)
asserted
who → reach → April
the old basic state pension - for those who reached state pension age before April 2016 - is £184.90 a week (£9,614.80 a year)
asserted
who → reach → April
Many people on the old basic state pension may receive a top-up called the additional state pension.
uncertain
people → receive → pension
Most pensioners have other income, primarily from pension savings built up over their career.
asserted
pensioners → have → career
The state pension goes up each year in line with the highest of either inflation, wage increases, or 2.5%.
asserted
pension → go → inflation
So next April, the flat-rate state pension is expected to go above £13,000.
asserted
pension → expect → 13,000
How do I qualify for it?
asserted
I → qualify → it
Workers pay National Insurance (NI) contributions.
asserted
Workers → pay → contributions
In general, you need 35 years of qualifying contributions to get a full state pension.
asserted
you → need → pension
You may have gaps in your NI record if, for example, you have lived abroad.
uncertain
you → have → example
If you've taken time away from work to care for children or family members, then you get NI credits if you receive child benefit or carer's allowance.
asserted
you → take → benefit
It's possible to boost your contribution history with voluntary payments.
asserted
It → boost → payments
Since April 2025, you have only been able to make payments for the previous six years.
asserted
you → make → years
That's one reason why it is important to check your state pension forecast well before you retire, experts say.
asserted
experts → check → forecast
How do I check what I'll get?
asserted
I → check → what
You can see what you are forecast to receive:
By downloading the HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) app, external
Using the official online state pension forecast webpage, external
To get a state pension, you will need to prove your identity using official photo ID.
Importantly, never click on a link sent in an unsolicited email or text message, even if it looks official, as it could be a scam.
uncertain
it → see → email
For more general information about tax and pensions, HMRC has launched a Tax Confident website, external.
asserted
HMRC → launch → website
And the government-funded, independent Money Helper website has a free retirement guidance tool, external to walk you through the options.
asserted
website → fund → options
Why haven't you checked?
asserted
you → check → ?
The most common reason for not checking a state pension forecast was feeling that retirement was still too far away to think about, a recent survey of 5,000 consumers by HMRC found.
asserted
survey → check → HMRC
Losing track of pension pots from previous jobs, and concerns about how career breaks might affect their entitlement, were also frequent responses.
uncertain
breaks → lose → entitlement
People aged 45-54 were the most likely to have never checked.
"
asserted
People → age → ?
Whether retirement is decades away or just around the corner, I'd encourage everyone to check their forecast and see if there's anything they can do now to boost their entitlement later," says Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC's chief customer officer.
asserted
Lloyd → encourage → entitlement
The Aporia
