Reference · State Pension
UK State Pension Rate 2026/27
The full New State Pension for 2026/27 is £241.30 per week (£12,547.60 per year), following a 4.8% triple-lock increase that took effect on 6 April 2026. You need 35 qualifying National Insurance yearsfor the full amount, a minimum of 10 years to receive anything at all, and you can claim from age 66.
Key figures at a glance — 2026/27
Weekly rate
£241.30
Annual equivalent
£12,547.60
Triple-lock rise
+4.8%
Earnings measure (Sep 2025 AWE)
State Pension age
66
Rising to 67 between 2026–2028
Full NI record
35 years
Minimum NI years
10 years
State Pension Forecast Calculator
Enter your age and current NI record to see a personalised forecast of your State Pension amount — including projected weekly income and how many additional qualifying years you may need.
How much State Pension will you get?
The amount you receive depends entirely on your National Insurance record. The full New State Pension requires 35 qualifying years. If you have fewer than 35 years but at least 10, you receive a proportional amount calculated as:
For example, with 20 qualifying years: (20 ÷ 35) × £241.30 = £137.89/week.
If you were contracted out of the Additional State Pension (S2P or SERPS) before April 2016, a deduction called a contracted-out deduction may reduce your starting amount. Conversely, if you built up entitlement under the old Additional State Pension, a protected payment may add to it.
What is the triple lock?
Introduced in 2011, the triple lock is a statutory guarantee that the State Pension rises each April by whichever is the highest of:
- Earnings growth — Average Weekly Earnings (AWE) index, measured in the year to September
- CPI inflation — Consumer Prices Index, measured in September
- 2.5% — a guaranteed minimum floor
For 2026/27, the September 2025 AWE figure of 4.8% was the highest of the three measures, so the pension rose from £230.25 to £241.30 — an increase of £11.05/week or £575.41/year.
| Tax year | Weekly rate | Rise | Measure used |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 | £241.30 | +4.8% | Earnings (Sep 2025 AWE) |
| 2025/26 | £230.25 | +4.1% | Earnings (Sep 2024 AWE) |
| 2024/25 | £221.20 | +8.5% | Earnings (Sep 2023 AWE) |
| 2023/24 | £203.85 | +10.1% | CPI inflation (Sep 2022) |
| 2022/23 | £185.15 | +3.1% | CPI inflation (Sep 2021) |
| 2021/22 | £179.60 | +2.5% | 2.5% floor (triple lock suspended) |
| 2020/21 | £175.20 | +3.9% | Earnings (Sep 2019 AWE) |
| 2019/20 | £168.60 | +3.76% | Earnings (Sep 2018 AWE) |
| 2018/19 | £164.35 | +3.0% | Earnings (Sep 2017 AWE) |
| 2017/18 | £159.55 | +2.5% | 2.5% floor |
| 2016/17 | £155.65 | +2.9% | Earnings |
State Pension age: when can you claim?
The State Pension age is currently 66 for both men and women. It will rise to 67 in stages between May 2026 and March 2028 (those born between 6 April 1960 and 5 April 1977 are affected). A further increase to 68 was recommended in the Cridland Review but the government has not yet legislated a firm timetable — check gov.uk for the latest.
You do not have to claim your State Pension as soon as you reach State Pension age. Deferring adds approximately 1% for every 9 weeks you delay (about 5.8% per year). However, deferral is not always beneficial — if you have other pension income or savings, the break-even period can be 17 years or more.
How does the basic State Pension differ?
People who reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016 receive the old basic State Pension rather than the New State Pension. The full basic rate for 2026/27 is £184.90/week. Many of these pensioners also receive an additional State Pension (S2P or SERPS) on top, which is not subject to the triple lock in the same straightforward way.