Will you get £13,000 a year when you stop working? Here's how to check
How to find out how much state pension you're likely to receive - and what you can do about it now.
The UK state pension may reach £13,000 per year in the future, yet a significant portion of the population is unaware of their expected payout. According to a survey by the UK tax authority, one in eight people have never checked how much money they will receive when they stop working. To ascertain your state pension forecast, several options are available.
Download the HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) app, utilize the official online state pension forecast webpage, or visit the HMRC Tax Confident website for general information. The government-funded Money Helper website also offers a free retirement guidance tool. State pension contributions are made by workers through National Insurance (NI) payments, and a full pension generally requires 35 years of qualifying contributions.
Exceptions can occur if there are gaps in NI records due to international relocation or career breaks. Voluntary payments can be made to improve your contribution history, but as of April 2025, this is only possible for the past six years. It is crucial to verify your state pension forecast well before retirement, as many factors can affect your entitlement.
Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC's chief customer officer, emphasizes the importance of checking your forecast, regardless of how far away retirement may seem.
Written by urgent.news from BBC Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
