What is basic State Pension?
The State Pension is made up of basic State Pension and additional State Pension. If you have built up enough qualifying years during your working life, you will receive the full basic State Pension when you reach State Pension age. Qualifying years are the years in which you have been paying or treated as paying National Insurance contributions.
In certain circumstances, you can be credited with National Insurance contributions if you have been unable to do paid work. You can get a number of different types of National Insurance credits.
How many qualifying years do I need?
Men need 44 qualifying years by the age of 65 to get a full basic State Pension and women who reach the age of 60 before 2010 need 39 qualifying years.
If you do not have the full number of qualifying years, you may still get a percentage of the full basic State Pension depending on the number of qualifying years you have.
To get the minimum basic State Pension (25%) you normally need 10 or 11 qualifying years. If you are more than four months away from State Pension age, you can find out how much you will get by requesting a State Pension Forecast
The Pensions Act 2007 has reduced the number of qualifying years needed for a full basic State Pension to 30 for people who reach State Pension age on or after 6 April 2010.
Find out more about pensions reforms
What if there are gaps in my National Insurance contributions
Under normal rules, individuals can pay voluntary contributions to fill gaps in their National Insurance record up to six years after the end of the relevant financial year.
New legislation will allow individuals to pay up to an additional six years of voluntary contributions for years going back to 1975, if both the following apply:
- if you reach State Pension age between 6 April 2008 and 5 April 2015
- if you already have 20 qualifying years (including any full years of Home Responsibilities Protection)
Those eligible will have up to six years from the date they reach State Pension age to pay these additional voluntary contributions.
Find out more about the new legislation on additional voluntary contributions
The Pensions Act 2007 and Pensions Act (Northern Ireland) 2008 reduce the number of qualifying years which a person reaching State Pension age on or after 6 April 2010 needs to qualify for a full basic State Pension. If this affects you, you should think carefully before paying any further voluntary (Class 3) National Insurance contributions.
Get a State Pension forecast online
See if you can get an online State Pension forecast. This will give you an estimate of how much basic State Pension and additional State Pension you may get when you reach State Pension age.
Get an instant online pension forecast
Use our State Pension age calculator to find out when you will be entitled to claim your State Pension.
Find out how changes might affect your State Pension
If you need more information, contact the Future Pension Centre (FPC)
How much will I get?
The full basic State Pension for 2009/10 is £95.25 per week for a single person (based on their own National Insurance record).
More detailed information can be found in our State Pension section
You can get a State Pension forecast, which will tell you in today's money the State Pension you may get based on your National Insurance contributions so far, and what you may get when you claim your State Pension. It will also include details of your additional State Pension, if you have one.
There are four ways to get a State Pension forecast:
- Get an instant online pension forecast
- Call the Future Pension Centre on 0845 300 0168 and they will fill in the form with you over the phone; lines are open from 8.00am to 8.00pm Monday to Friday and 9.00am -1.00pm on Saturday; calls are charged at local rates; calls from mobile phones or cable networks may differ. If you have hearing or speech difficulties and have a textphone, call textphone 0845 3000 169
- Print out an application form and post it
- Write to the Future Pension Centre and ask for a forecast application form (BR19) and a return envelope
The address to send your completed application forms or letters to is:
Future Pension Centre
The Pension Service
Tyneview Park
Whitley Road
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE98 1BA
We have also published a general guide which outlines how much you might get in the A to Z section of our website.
Get the most out of later life
The Directgov website's Over 50s section points you in the right direction for help and advice available through Government and voluntary organisations.
It provides information and contact details for community and voluntary organisations, training opportunities and health and fitness advice.
More about State Pensions
You can read and print, or order a copy of State pensions - Your guide