UK State Pension Forecast
35 years of NI qualifying years = full new State Pension. Less = pro-rata, with minimum 10 years to qualify at all.
Updated May 2026, using HMRC 2026/27 rates and current ONS / gov.uk figures.
Full new State Pension 2026/27: £241.30 per week (£12,547.60/year), confirmed by gov.uk. Each NI qualifying year is worth 1/35 of the full amount. Below 10 qualifying years: no entitlement at all. The 2025/26 rate was £221.20/week — the 8.5% rise comes from the triple-lock applying autumn 2025 wage growth.
How it works.
How to forecast your UK State Pension, step by step:
- Find your number of NI qualifying years. Check it free at gov.uk/check-state-pension.
- If under 10, you get nothing — no minimum entitlement.
- From 10 to 35, divide your years by 35 and multiply by the full weekly rate (£241.30 for 2026/27).
- From 35+, you get the full rate. Extra years don't increase it.
Worked example — 30 qualifying years: 30 ÷ 35 × £241.30 = £206.83/week, or about £10,755/year.
Worked examples
35 NI years → full £241.30/week (£12,547.60/year).
30 NI years → £206.83/week (£10,755/year) — 30/35 of full.
20 NI years → £137.89/week (£7,170/year) — 20/35 of full.
10 NI years → £68.94/week (£3,585/year) — the minimum entitlement.
Under 10 years → £0. No State Pension entitlement at all — consider Class 3 voluntary contributions to top up (see NI top-up calculator).
Sources:
gov.uk State Pension · gov.uk Check your State Pension forecast · gov.uk Benefit and pension rates 2026-27
· retrieved 2026-05-15.
Frequently asked questions
How much State Pension will I get?
Multiply your NI qualifying years by £241.30 (the 2026/27 full weekly rate), then divide by 35. Example: 30 qualifying years → 30 ÷ 35 × £241.30 = £206.83/week, about £10,755/year. Below 10 qualifying years you get nothing.
What is the full State Pension in 2026/27?
£241.30 per week (£12,547.60/year) — up 8.5% from the 2025/26 rate of £221.20/week, applied under the triple-lock formula based on autumn 2025 wage-growth data.
How many NI years do I need for the full State Pension?
35 qualifying years for the new State Pension (anyone who reached State Pension age on or after 6 April 2016). The old basic State Pension required 30 qualifying years.
How can I check my actual record?
gov.uk/check-state-pension — HMRC's official forecast tool, which reads your real NI history. Always more accurate than this calculator, which is formula-based.
What counts as a qualifying year?
A tax year in which you paid (or were credited with) enough NI contributions. Working full-time at NMW for the whole year usually qualifies. Carer's credit, parents on Child Benefit for under-12s, and Universal Credit recipients can also build qualifying years without paying NI.
What if I have gaps in my NI record?
Below 10 qualifying years: no entitlement. From 10 to 34 years: pro-rata pension. Career breaks, time abroad, low-earning years and self-employment near the small profits threshold can all create gaps. The NI top-up calculator on this site shows whether buying back gap years with Class 3 voluntary contributions is worth it (typical payback: ~3 years).
What's the difference between basic State Pension and new State Pension?
The new State Pension applies to everyone reaching State Pension age on or after 6 April 2016. The old basic State Pension still affects pre-2016 retirees, and people with NI history straddling 2016 get a 'starting amount' under transitional rules (whichever is higher of their basic-pension and new-pension entitlement at 5 April 2016).
Can I get a forecast for a specific date?
Yes — gov.uk/check-state-pension shows projections to your actual State Pension age based on your live NI record. This calculator gives the formula-based weekly rate; the gov.uk tool gives your personal projection.