Planning for retirement is one of the most important financial decisions you’ll make. These guides cover everything from checking your State Pension entitlement to maximising workplace pension contributions, understanding tax relief, and creating a retirement income strategy that works for you.
Pension Hubs
- Pension Planning Hub — Retirement targets, contribution strategy, consolidation, and pension-vs-ISA trade-offs
State Pension Guides
- State Pension Complete Guide — Everything you need to know
- State Pension Amount 2026: Current weekly rates
- State Pension Age Guide — When can you claim?
- State Pension Forecast Guide — Check your entitlement
- How to Claim State Pension — Step-by-step
- State Pension Triple Lock — How increases work
- State Pension While Working: Can you work and claim?
- State Pension Abroad — Living overseas
- Deferring State Pension — Is it worth it?
- Living on State Pension Only: Making it work
National Insurance & Pension Gaps
- NI Voluntary Contributions — Buying extra years
Workplace & Private Pensions
- Workplace Pensions Hub — The main guide to auto-enrolment, employer schemes, DB/DC and public-sector routes
- SIPP Hub — The main guide to self-invested personal pensions, provider choice and pension-versus-ISA decisions
- Pension Tax Hub — The main guide to tax relief, annual allowances, lump sums, drawdown tax and annuities
- Complete UK Pension Guide — Full overview
- How Pension Tax Relief Works — Free money explained
- Pension Allowance 2026/27 — Current limits
- Pension Carry Forward — Use unused allowance
- Pension Consolidation — Combining pensions
- How to Find Lost Pensions — Tracing service
Public Sector Pensions
- NHS Pension Guide — Healthcare workers
- Teachers’ Pension Guide — Education staff
- Civil Service Pension (Alpha) — Government workers
- LGPS Guide — Local government
- Police Pension Guide — Police officers
- Armed Forces Pension — Military pensions
Accessing Your Pension
- 25% Tax-Free Lump Sum Guide — Taking your PCLS
- Should I Take the Lump Sum? — Pros and cons
- Pension Drawdown Calculator — Flexible income
- Lump Sum vs Drawdown — Comparison
- Drawdown vs Annuity — Income options
- What to Do with Lump Sum — Options explained
- Small Pension Pots — Cashing in small amounts
Retirement Planning
- Early Retirement Hub — The main guide to FIRE, gap-year funding, early retirement targets and phased retirement
- How Much Pension Do I Need? — Target amounts
- Retire at 55 — Early retirement guide
- Part-Time Work in Retirement — Phased retirement
- When to Get Pension Advice — Professional help
Pension Death Benefits
- What Happens to Pension When You Die — Death benefits
- Pension Death Before 75 — Tax implications
- Pension Nomination Form — Why it matters
- Inherited State Pension — Spouse benefits
State and Private Pensions
Quick Comparison
| Feature | State Pension | Private Pension |
|---|---|---|
| Who pays | Government | You / employer |
| Funded by | National Insurance | Contributions |
| Amount | Fixed (if qualified) | Depends on contributions |
| Currently | £12,547.60/year max (2026/27) | Unlimited potential |
| Access age | State Pension age: 66 for people born 6 October 1954 to 5 April 1960, rising to 67 between 2026 and 2028 for those born 6 April 1960 to 5 March 1961, then 67 (68 later under current law) | Usually 55 (rising to 57 from 6 April 2028) |
| Flexibility | None | High |
| Tax on income | Yes | Yes (after 25% tax-free) |
| Can leave to family | Limited | Yes |
Side-by-Side Comparison
Funding Source
| Pension Type | Who Funds |
|---|---|
| State Pension | Government (via NI contributions) |
| Workplace pension | You + employer (with tax relief) |
| Personal pension | You only (with tax relief) |
| SIPP | You only (with tax relief) |
Control Over Investments
| Pension Type | Investment Control |
|---|---|
| State Pension | None, fixed amount |
| Workplace pension (DC) | Usually limited fund choice |
| Personal pension | Some choice |
| SIPP | Full control |
Access Age
| Pension Type | Earliest Access |
|---|---|
| State Pension | State Pension age (66 for people born 6 October 1954 to 5 April 1960, 67 for people born 6 March 1961 to 5 April 1977, with a transition in between) |
| Private pension | Currently 55 (rising to 57 in 2028) |
| Gap | Private accessible 10+ years earlier |
Flexibility at Retirement
| Pension Type | Options |
|---|---|
| State Pension | Regular payments every 4 weeks (every 13 weeks is an option abroad); no tax-free lump sum (if you reached State Pension age on or after 6 April 2016 and defer, you can take up to 52 weeks of arrears as one payment) |
| Private pension | Lump sum, drawdown, annuity, or combination |
Taxation
| Event | State Pension | Private Pension |
|---|---|---|
| Tax relief on contributions | N/A (no contributions) | Yes (20% to 45%; up to 48% in Scotland) |
| Tax-free lump sum | No | 25% of pot |
| Tax on income | Yes | Yes (remainder) |
Death Benefits
| Pension Type | What Passes On |
|---|---|
| State Pension | Limited, spouse may inherit some |
| Private pension | Entire remaining pot |
| Before 75 | Usually income-tax-free to beneficiaries |
| After 75 | Taxed as the beneficiary’s income |
From 6 April 2027, most unused pension funds and death benefits also count towards your estate for Inheritance Tax (death-in-service benefits are excluded).