UK State Pension age — check on GOV.UK
Your State Pension date depends on date of birth. The rise toward 67 is already legislated for some people from 2026. Only the government checker is official — this page explains which scheme is which.
Updated 3 Sep 2026 Official sites linked Free · no account
Which pension is this?
People search “pension” after civil-service or NHS news. Those are different pots.
| Scheme | Who runs it | Where to check |
|---|---|---|
| State Pension | DWP / HMRC NI record | GOV.UK age + forecast |
| Workplace / auto-enrolment | Nest, People’s Pension, insurer | Your employer / scheme login |
| NHS Pension | NHSBSA (England & Wales) | NHS tier calculator |
| Civil Service (Alpha) | Cabinet Office scheme | civilservantspensionscheme.org.uk |
National Insurance years
GOV.UK: you usually need 35 qualifying years for the full new State Pension, and a minimum of 10 years to receive any. Forecasts show gaps. Voluntary contributions are a GOV.UK / HMRC process — we do not quote a price per missing year.
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Check State Pension age
Open GOV.UK ‘Check your State Pension age’ with your date of birth. The age is rising to 67 between 2026 and 2028 for some cohorts — only the checker is official.
- 2
Get a forecast
‘Check your State Pension forecast’ via GOV.UK One Login or Government Gateway. It uses your National Insurance record.
- 3
Do not mix schemes
State Pension is DWP. NHS Pension and Civil Service Alpha are workplace schemes with different ages and calculators.
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Gaps in NI
GOV.UK explains voluntary contributions. We do not sell gap-fill products.
FAQs
What is the UK State Pension age in 2026?
Many people still reach State Pension age at 66. The age increases to 67 between 6 April 2026 and 5 April 2028 for people born on certain dates. Your date is personal — use GOV.UK, not a blog table copied out of context.
How many NI years for a full new State Pension?
GOV.UK states you usually need 35 qualifying years for the full new State Pension, and at least 10 years to get any. Confirm on your forecast.
Is this the same as an NHS or civil service pension?
No. State Pension is DWP. NHS Pension is a workplace scheme (see our NHS calculator). Civil Service Alpha is a separate scheme at civilservantspensionscheme.org.uk.
Can I get a forecast without retiring?
Yes. Check your State Pension forecast on GOV.UK while you are still working.
What is the weekly new State Pension amount?
The full rate is set in the Budget / DWP uprating and changes each April. We do not cache a pound figure here — read GOV.UK ‘The new State Pension’.
Deferring State Pension?
You can delay claiming. Extra pension rules are on GOV.UK. Do not rely on a third-party percentage.
Official sources
Use these sites for the legal answer. We summarise; they decide.
Not DWP. We do not calculate your personal State Pension age or weekly amount. GOV.UK checkers are the legal source.