Changes to the State Pension: What you need to know

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The State Pension changed in April 2026, the start of the 2026/27 tax year. The amount you can get has increased. Our guide to the UK State Pension explains what you need to know.

Knowing what to expect from your future State Pension is an important part of planning for retirement. The State Pension has been in place for over 100 years in the UK. In that time, there have been many important changes to how much you can get, when you can get it and how to claim it. 

This guide keeps you up to date with the latest changes and helps you understand the role a State Pension plays in funding life after work. 

What is the State Pension?

The State Pension is an amount paid to you on a regular basis by the government once you reach State Pension age. Currently that age is 66 – it will rise to 67 by 2028, and then to 68 by 2046.

How much State Pension will I get?

In April 2026 the State Pension increased by 4.8% for the 2026/27 tax year. The change affects people eligible for the new flat-rate State Pension introduced in April 2016, and the older basic State Pension.

That means those who qualify for the full new State Pension now receive £241.30 a week (up from £230.25), which amounts to £12,548 a year (up from £11,973).

Those who are on the basic State Pension now receive £184.90 a week (up from £176.45), which amounts to £9,614.80 a year (up from £9,175.40).

The amount of State Pension you receive depends on your age and the number of years you made National Insurance contributions. You can check your own State Pension forecast on the government’s website.

Why did the State Pension increase and will it increase again?

The State Pension increased because of the government’s triple lock which aims to make sure that pensions don’t lose their value over time. 

The triple lock guarantees that the State Pension will rise every tax year by whichever is highest of the following three measures:

●    Average earnings
●    Inflation, as measured by the Consumer Prices Index (CPI)
●    2.5%

In the Autumn 2025 budget the government kept the triple lock. Although there is no indication that the triple lock will change, this measure is regularly reviewed by the government.

How do I qualify for a full State Pension?

The amount of State Pension you receive is based on the number of years of National Insurance (NI) contributions you have paid or been credited with and when you start claiming it.

There are government websites where you can check your personal NI record and get your State Pension forecast. Millions of forecasts have been checked online by people planning for retirement.

How do I make National Insurance contributions?

If you’re employed, your employer should make contributions on your behalf by deducting National Insurance (NI) contributions from your wages. You can usually see these deductions on your payslip. 

If you’re self-employed, you pay NI through your self-assessment tax. 

If you receive certain benefits, you may pay NI using National Insurance credits. 

Note: If you were ‘contracted out’ prior to April 2016, you may have paid lower NI or paid NI into a workplace pension. Learn more about contracting out and how it impacts your State Pension. 

Can I make up for any missing years of NI contributions?

Gaps in your work history or being in certain types of pension schemes could mean you won’t have enough NI contributions to receive the full State Pension. But you may get NI credits for years when you’re not employed or have low earnings.

In some cases, claiming benefits such as Jobseeker’s Allowance can actually help you build and protect your State Pension entitlement.

You might also be able to top up your NI record by paying voluntary National Insurance contributions. The deadline for doing this is normally 5 April each year. You can plug gaps for the last six tax years. 

Filling gaps could potentially boost your State Pension by thousands of pounds, so it’s important to understand if you’d benefit from doing this. You can find more details on MoneyHelper.

When will I receive the State Pension?

Your State Pension age is the earliest age you can start receiving State Pension. If you haven’t yet reached State Pension age, you’re not currently eligible to receive the State Pension. 

The State Pension age is determined by your date of birth. 

• If you were born between 6 October 1954 to 5 April 1960, your State Pension age is 66.
• If you were born between 6 April 1960 and 5 April 1977, your State Pension age is between 66 and 67. 
• If you were born between 6 April 1977 and 5 April 1978, your State Pension age is between 67 and 68. 
• If you were born after 6 April 1978, your State Pension age is 68.

The State Pension age is rising over time and is regularly reviewed to take into account things like affordability and life expectancy. Any future change will have to be approved by the UK parliament, and the government has committed to giving at least 10 years’ notice before making any State Pension age changes.

Remember, the State Pension is different to a private pension. Some private pension and workplace schemes let you start accessing your money from age 55. This will rise to age 57 from 6 April 2028. That means you could access your private pension before you receive your State Pension.

Is the State Pension likely to be enough to fund my retirement?

It’s unlikely that the State Pension alone will be enough to cover your lifestyle in retirement.

The Retirement Living Standards suggest that currently, a single person would need a minimum of £13,400 to cover basic expenses. Even with the latest increase, the full new State Pension is £12,548 a year. That means there’s a significant gap between what you can get from the State Pension and what you may actually need or want in retirement. 

The State Pension alone will only cover a minimum standard of living and could be subject to tax. Because it starts in your late 60s, it won’t help to support you if you want to retire earlier. For that reason, the State Pension should only be a part of your overall retirement plan. It’s important to fully understand how much you might need to fund the retirement you want.

How can I make sure I have enough money when I retire?

First, understand what you’re likely to get from your State Pension and when. You might be able to top up your NI contributions if necessary. 

Next, think about where else your money might come from in retirement. You may have a pension plan, for example, and your employer may pay into this too. You can then check how much money you might be on track for by using a pension calculator.

Don’t forget that you can also use savings such as ISAs (Individual Savings Accounts) to supplement the money you’ll get from any pension pots you have when you come to retirement age. 

It’s important to keep in mind that personal or workplace pension plans, as well as some types of ISAs, are investments and their value can go down as well as up and may be worth less than what was paid in.

It’s a good idea to regularly review any personal or workplace pension plans you have to see if they’re on track to meet your goals. You can then decide whether you want to make any changes.

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The information here is based on our understanding in April 2026 and shouldn’t be taken as financial advice.

Your own personal circumstances, including where you live in the UK, will have an impact on the tax you pay. Laws and tax rules may change in the future.

Standard Life accepts no responsibility for information only external websites. These are provided
for general information.