How much is the State Pension 2026/27?

The full new State Pension for 2026/27 is expected to be approximately £230.25 per week (£11,973 per year), based on the triple lock increase applied in April 2026. The basic State Pension (for those who reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016) is expected to be approximately £176.45 per week (£9,175 per year). Your actual amount depends on your National Insurance record — you need 35 qualifying years for the full new State Pension.

How many years NI do I need for a full State Pension?

You need 35 qualifying years of National Insurance contributions or credits for the full new State Pension. You need a minimum of 10 qualifying years to receive any State Pension at all. If you have between 10 and 35 years, you receive a proportional amount. For example, with 20 qualifying years, you would receive 20/35ths of the full amount.

Is the State Pension taxable?

Yes — the State Pension counts as taxable income. However, it is paid gross (without tax deducted). If your total income (including State Pension) exceeds the Personal Allowance of £12,570, tax is collected through your tax code on other income (such as a workplace pension or employment). If the State Pension is your only income, you are unlikely to pay tax as the full new State Pension (approximately £11,973) is below the Personal Allowance.

Can I get the State Pension and still work?

Yes — you can claim the State Pension and continue working. There is no earnings limit. However, your combined income (State Pension plus employment income) will be subject to Income Tax if it exceeds £12,570. You do not pay National Insurance contributions once you reach State Pension age, even if you continue working.

State Pension Amount 2026/27 — How Much Will You Get? | PocketWise

The State Pension increases each April under the triple lock. Here is what you can expect for 2026/27.

State Pension Amounts — 2026/27

Pension type	Weekly amount	Annual amount
Full new State Pension	~£230.25	~£11,973
Full basic State Pension	~£176.45	~£9,175
Minimum new State Pension (10 years NI)	~£65.79	~£3,421

Note: These figures are based on the expected triple lock increase for April 2026. The exact amount is confirmed by the government in the Autumn Statement or Spring Budget.

Previous Years for Comparison

Tax year	Full new State Pension (weekly)	Full new State Pension (annual)
2023/24	£203.85	£10,600
2024/25	£221.20	£11,502
2025/26	£230.25	£11,973
2026/27	~£230.25+	~£11,973+

The 2026/27 figure will depend on the triple lock calculation using September 2025 data.

How the Triple Lock Works

The State Pension increases each April by the highest of:

Measure	What it means
Average earnings growth	Growth in average weekly earnings (May–July)
CPI inflation	Consumer Prices Index for September
2.5%	Minimum guaranteed increase

April increase	Measure used	Increase applied
April 2023	CPI inflation (10.1%)	10.1%
April 2024	Average earnings (8.5%)	8.5%
April 2025	Average earnings (4.0%)	4.1%
April 2026	TBC (based on September 2025 data)	TBC

How Much State Pension Will You Get?

Your actual amount depends on your National Insurance record:

NI qualifying years	Proportion of full pension	Approximate weekly amount (new SP)
35 years	100%	~£230.25
30 years	85.7%	~£197.36
25 years	71.4%	~£164.40
20 years	57.1%	~£131.47
15 years	42.9%	~£98.78
10 years	28.6%	~£65.85
Under 10 years	0%	£0 — no State Pension entitlement

New State Pension vs Basic State Pension

Feature	New State Pension	Basic State Pension
Applies to	Reached State Pension age on or after 6 April 2016	Reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016
Full weekly amount	~£230.25	~£176.45
NI years for full amount	35 years	30 years
Minimum NI years	10	1 year (for basic), varies for additional
Additional pension (SERPS/S2P)	Included in calculation (transitional)	Paid on top as additional State Pension
Can it exceed the full rate?	Yes — if you had SERPS/S2P entitlement, you get a “protected payment” above the flat rate	N/A — basic + additional calculated separately

How to Check Your State Pension Forecast

Step	Detail
1	Go to gov.uk/check-state-pension
2	Sign in with Government Gateway or GOV.UK Verify
3	View your forecast — it shows your expected weekly amount
4	Check your NI record — it shows qualifying years and any gaps
5	See if you can fill gaps to increase your pension

Your forecast tells you:

Your current State Pension entitlement based on NI years so far
What you could get if you continue contributing until State Pension age
Any gaps in your NI record

State Pension Age

Date of birth	State Pension age
Born before 6 March 1961 (women)	Already reached SPA
Born before 6 December 1953 (men)	Already reached SPA
Born 6 March 1961 – 5 April 1977	66–67 (transitional)
Born 6 April 1960 – 5 March 1961	66
Born 6 April 1961 – 5 April 1977	67
Born after 5 April 1977	67 (may rise to 68 — under review)

Check your exact date at gov.uk/state-pension-age.

Can You Increase Your State Pension?

Method	How it works	Cost	Benefit
Voluntary NI contributions	Buy back missing years	£824.20 per year (Class 3, 2025/26)	Each year adds ~£6.58/week (~£342/year) to your pension
NI credits	Claim credits for caring, unemployment, disability	Free	Count as qualifying years
Defer your State Pension	Delay claiming to get a higher amount	No cost — you just don’t claim	5.8% increase for every year deferred
Continue working past SPA	Keep building NI years until you have 35	Already paying NI (or exempt if past SPA)	Fill any remaining gaps

Is Buying NI Years Worth It?

Detail	Calculation
Cost to buy 1 year	£824.20 (Class 3, 2025/26)
Extra pension per year	~£342 per year
Break-even	~2.4 years of receiving the pension
If you live 20 years past SPA	You gain ~£6,840 for an £824 investment
Verdict	Almost always excellent value — especially filling recent gaps

See our NI voluntary contributions guide for full details on buying extra years.

State Pension and Tax

Scenario	Tax position
State Pension only (full new SP ~£11,973)	Below Personal Allowance (£12,570) — no tax
State Pension + small workplace pension	May push above Personal Allowance — tax on excess
State Pension + significant other income	Tax collected through tax code on other income
State Pension + employment	Tax collected through PAYE on employment income
State Pension + self-employment	Declared on Self Assessment

The State Pension is never taxed at source — it is always paid gross. HMRC adjusts your tax code on other income to collect any tax due.

State Pension Deferral

Detail	Information
Increase rate	5.8% per year (just under 1% every 9 weeks)
Minimum deferral	9 weeks
Paid as	Higher weekly pension when you claim
Taxable?	Yes — the extra amount is taxable income
Lump sum option	Not available under the new State Pension
Break-even	Approximately 17 years to recoup deferred pension

See our State Pension deferral guide for a full break-even analysis.