How much state pension will I get?

How much state pension will I get in 2024-25?

The state pension rules changed radically on 6 April 2016, for men born on or after 6 April 1951 and women born on or after 6 April 1953.

There is a 'single tier' pension payment for people in this age group with a 'full level'.

In 2024-25, the full level of the new state pension is £221.20 a week or £11,502.40 a year. 

You may get more or less than this. We've explained why in more detail below

Because of the changes to the state pension, you can no longer build up an additional state pension - nor can you 'contract out' of it to get a higher private pension.

And you only qualify for a full state pension once you have 35 years' worth of National Insurance contributions (subject to your contracting out history). Previously it was 30 years' worth between 2010 and 2016 (and 44 years for men and 39 years for women pre-2010).

To get any state pension at all, you need 10 years of National Insurance contributions. 

Use our state pension age calculator to find out when you'll qualify for it.

How much basic state pension will I get in 2024-25?

If you reached state pension age before 6 April 2016, the changes don't affect you.

In this case, the basic state pension is £169.50 a week in 2024-25 (£8,814 a year).

If you're married, and both you and your partner have built up state pension, you'll get double this amount in 2024-25 - so £339 a week, up from £312.40 a week in 2023-24. 

But if your partner hasn't built up their own state pension, they'll still be able to claim a state pension based on your record.

You may also have built up some additional state pension, previously known as the State Earnings Related Pension Scheme (Serps) or state second pension (S2P).

If you did so, you'll get more than £169.50 a week in 2024-25.

How much state pension will I get if I qualified on or after 6 April 2016?

If you reach state pension age on or after 6 April 2016, the starting point for calculating what you get is the 'full level' of the new state pension of £221.20 in 2024-25, up from £203.85 in the previous tax year. 

But you may get more or less than this.

• If you have made full National Insurance payments, building up additional state pension, you're likely to get more.
• If you 'contracted out' and paid reduced National Insurance contributions for several years, you're likely to get less.

You'll get whichever is higher - the amount you would have got on the last day of the old system, or the amount you would get had the new system been in place over the whole of your working life.

What was 'contracting out'?

To cut the bill for the state pension, the government previously allowed pension savers to 'contract out' of being part of the second state pension scheme.

You paid less National Insurance (NI) and didn't get the additional state pension, and the money you saved in NI was put into your workplace or private pension.

What if I've been contracted out?

If you were contracted out, you've been making NI contributions at a reduced rate (in a final salary scheme), or receiving a rebate into your pension (in a 'defined contribution' scheme, where you build up a pension pot).

Under the new system, as with the old one, those who contracted out will likely get less state pension than those who didn't. Some claimants with 35 years' of NI contributions won't get the full level of new state pension due to having been contracted out.

If you were contracted out but carry on working for a number of years after 2016, making full-rate NI contributions, you can build up further state pension until you reach the full level of new state pension (£221.20 in 2024-25).

What if I've been mainly contracted in?

The new rules mean that no one will lose any additional state pension they've accrued by making full National Insurance contributions.

Whichever value is the highest, under the old or new system, that will be your starting amount. If this is more than the new maximum full level of state pension, you'll get the higher amount.

Find out more in our detailed guide to contracting out of the second state pension.

How is my state pension calculated?

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) applies a formula, taking into account the number of full National Insurance years you have, contracted-out periods and the additional state pension you've accrued, to work out have much state pension you're due.

If you've never been contracted out, or earned any additional state pension, calculating how much you'll get is much simpler.

For example, say you have 25 qualifying years on your National Insurance record.

For 2024-25, you divide £221.20 by 35 and then multiply by 25. Your new state pension will be about £158 a week.

What is the Contracted-Out Pension Equivalent?

Forecasts from the DWP include an additional element entitled COPE - the Contracted-Out Pension Equivalent. COPE is the equivalent of the additional state pension you would have got if you had not been contracted out

So you won't get this as part of your state pension, but should get it instead from your workplace or personal pension scheme for the periods you were contracted out.

This is clearly quite a broad estimate and the exact amount your scheme will pay you as a result of contracting-out as it will depend on the actual rules of your private scheme, and possibly any investment choices you may make.

How much state pension are people getting?

The new state pension system was introduced to be fairer and less complex.

Figures from the Department for Work and Pensions now show how much people are getting under the new state pension compared to the old system (accurate to August 2022, figures published in February 2023).

• £163.17 - Average payout under the old system
• £173.71 - Average payout under the new system
• £175.84 - Average new state pension payout for men, around £3 less a week than under the old system
• £170.52 - Average new state pension payout for women, around £18 more a week than under the old system

Certain groups are better off under the new system, whereas some will lose out from the changes.

Better off under new state pension

• women, carers and the low paid who haven't built up additional state pension
• self-employed people who didn't qualify for state second pension
• people who were contracted out and can access their private pensions at age 55
• workers contracted out who have time to build up years of full NI contributions.

Worse off, or no better off under new state pension

• people with less than 10 years of NI qualifying years
• people with more than 35 years' worth of full NI contributions
• high earners who won't be able to build up more additional state pension (ASP)
• younger employees who will no longer be able to build up ASP
• spouses, civil partners, widows and widowers who will no longer be able to claim or inherit a state pension based on a partner's NI contributions
• those already drawing the state pension won't be affected

Are women better off under the new state pension?

One of the aims of the new state pension was to improve the position of those historically denied access to the additional state pension, notably women and particularly stay-at-home mums and those in low-paid jobs.

The average payment for women receiving the new state pension in August 2022 was 12% higher: £170.52, compared with £151.95 under the old system. The gender gap is also narrowing. Under the new system, women get an average of 97% of men's weekly payment, while women receiving the old state pension receive 85% of the total of their male counterparts on average.

However, many women have had their state pension age raised. You can also no longer inherit state pension based on your husband's National Insurance contributions when you claim your own pension.

How can I boost my state pension?

Your new state pension will be based on your National Insurance record when you reach state pension age.

You can increase what you'll get by adding to your National Insurance record before reaching this age. You can carry on working and paying National Insurance contributions until you meet state pension age.

You can also apply for National Insurance credits, which can fill gaps in your record. You can also do this by paying voluntary contributions.

Finally, you can defer your state pension, which allows you to increase up your state pension by delaying when you take it.

When can I claim state pension?

You can claim state pension when you reach state pension age. For both men and women, this is currently 66. Women saw their state pension age rise from 60 to 65 between 2010 and November 2018.

Use our state pension age calculator to find out when you'll receive it.

The state pension age is set to rise again to 67 between 2026 and 2028. It will rise to 68 between 2044 and 2046.

If you live in the UK, you won't receive your state pension automatically when you reach state pension age. You'll get a letter four months before you retire, which will detail how you can claim.

There are three ways you can claim your state pension:

• Over the phone, by calling the state pension claim line (0800 731 7898).
• Online, by registering with Government Gateway via the Department for Work and Pensions website (it takes about seven days for your Government Gateway user ID and activation code to arrive in the post).
• By downloading the state pension claim form and sending it to your local pension centre. You can find this form on the government's website.

How do you qualify for the state pension? - read our guide to eligibility

How do I get a state pension forecast?

You can currently get a state pension forecast from the DWP to find out how much state pension you may get and the number of qualifying years on your National Insurance record.

The forecast gives you an estimate of what you can expect in terms of your state pension based on your National Insurance contributions.

To get a statement, call 0345 3000 168, go to gov.uk/state-pension-statement, or write to The Pension Service 9, Mail Handling Site A, Wolverhampton, WV98 1LU.

State pension FAQ