AAA Display options

The new force combining Age Concern logo & Help the Aged logo

State Pension

older couple laughing outdoors

The State Pension gives people of State Pension age a regular income to live on.

To be entitled to a state pension you must fulfil National Insurance (NI) contributions conditions. This can be done through contributions from your earnings‚ voluntary contributions or through credits. Normally, you need to have satisfied the NI contribution conditions in your own right, but married people, civil partners, and people whose marriage or civil partnership has ended through divorce, dissolution or bereavement may be able to claim a state pension on their partner's or former partner's contribution record.

The age at which you can claim state pension is changing. It is currently 65 for men. State pension age for women is gradually increasing from 60 to 65. This affects women born after 5 April 1950.

You can get a state retirement pension if you meet all of the following requirements:

  • You have reached state retirement age.
  • You meet the National Insurance (NI) contribution conditions.
  • You claim it. You will not receive your state retirement pension automatically on reaching pension age. You need to make a claim.

Most older people are entitled to a pension but they still have to make a claim for it. If you haven’t been contacted about claiming your state pension by three months before you are due to reach pension age call the Pension Service on 0845 300 1084.

The amount of state retirement pension you get will depend on the level of your NI contributions, when you made them and the amount you were earning at the time.

Pension forecast

If you haven’t yet reached pension age you can ask for a pension forecast from the Pension Service. You can get a forecast by post or telephone if you are:

  • living in the UK, and
  • more than 30 days away from state pension age.

You can get an online forecast from the Pension Service’s website if you are:

  • living in the UK, and
  • more than four months away from state pension age, and
  • not widowed or someone whose civil partner has died.

The forecast will tell you what pension you can expect to get when you reach pension age. Ask your local benefits office or pension centre for a copy of form BR19 that explains the process, or phone 0845 300 0168. Alternatively you can download a form from the Pension Service’s website (see Useful websites).

How will my pension be paid?

Normally, your pension will be paid directly into your bank account. If you do not have an account you will be given information on opening a bank, building society or post office account. If you can’t manage an account, you can ask to have your pension paid by a cheque which you can cash at the post office. But you will have to rely on the post to get your payment, so it is usually better to have the money paid directly into an account if you can.

Your Age NI

Set your location to see what Age NI offers in your local area.

Age NI Advice:
0808 808 7575

Keep up to date

Receive our latest news and events information by email.

Money matters publications

  • Guides and factsheets aimed to keep you informed about issues surrounding money.

    Read our full response to the Draft Budget Consultation.

      View all Money matters downloads Help with Downloads

      Downloads

      What is a download?

      A download is a document (like a research report, a leaflet, or an application form) that can be transferred from our website to your computer. You can download a file, view it on your screen, print it, or save it to your computer.

      What is a PDF?

      PDF stands for ‘portable document format’.

      Most downloads on this website are PDFs. We use this format to ensure that the document looks the same on everyone’s computer (website pages, by contrast, appear differently depending on how people have got their computer set up).

      How do I download a PDF?

      Computers use a program called Adobe Acrobat Reader to download PDFs. If you try clicking on a link to download a PDF and it doesn’t work, you will need to install Adobe Acrobat Reader onto your computer.

      How do I install Adobe Acrobat Reader?

      The process is quite straightforward and is free.

      1. Go to opens link in new window http://get.adobe.com/uk/reader/
      2. Click ‘Download’.
      3. Wait for the window to offer you the option to ‘Run’, then choose this option.
      4. Click ‘Next’.
      5. Click ‘Install’
      6. Wait for the window to offer you the option to ‘Finish’, then choose this option.

      How do I change a download?

      PDFs cannot be changed. If you need to be able to type into a downloaded document (for example, if we are offering a letter template that you need to put your name on) we will provide it as a Microsoft Word document rather than a PDF. You can then download it, type into it and save it to your computer.

      How do I print or save a download?

      Downloads will open on your computer in a new browser window.

      Inside this window (below all your web browser menus), there will be a toolbar with options for you to print or save the document.

      Close the browser window to return to the Age UK website.

      Can my screen reader read PDF downloads?

      We have made every effort to make our PDFs accessible to screen readers. Here is an overview of your accessibility options available in Acrobat Reader. Please ensure that you have downloaded the latest version of Acrobat Reader from the Adobe Reader website to ensure that they are included in your version of the programme.

      You can use Adobe Reader to read a PDF out loud with the following shortcut keys:

      • Read the document: Shift +Ctrl+Y
      • Read the open page only: Shift +Ctrl+V
      • Read to the end of the document: Shift+Ctrl+B
      • Pause: Shift+Ctrl+C
      • Stop Shift+Ctrl+E


      You can also convert a PDF into a web page by following these steps:

      • Copy the URL (web address) of the document (right-click on the link and select ‘Save target as’ or ‘Copy link’).
      • Open the Adobe online conversion tool in your browser and paste the URL into the URL box.
      • Tick the HTML box on the Format option and click ‘Convert’.


      You can convert a PDF document into a text file for use with other software and hardware such as Braille printers by opening the PDF and choosing ‘Save as text’ from the File menu.

    Two people talking

    Tell us your story

    Share your first hand accounts of issues or problems that older people are experiencing in relation to public services.

    Share your story

    Useful websites

    Close window
    Display options

    Set the appearance of this website so you can read it more easily

    Text size

    Background/foreground


    To see information relating to England, Scotland or Wales set your preference below: