How do I qualify for state pension?

Will I get the state pension?

People who reach state pension age after April 2016 need to have made at least 10 years of National Insurance contributions to qualify for the state pension.

To get the full amount of £221.20 per week in 2024-25, you need 35 years of National Insurance contributions.

What is the state pension age?

With life expectancy getting longer, the government is having to pay the state pension for longer, and to more people.

To accommodate the cost of this, the state pension age is gradually increasing.

It increased to 66 in October 2020.

To find out when you will qualify for the state pension, you can use our state pension age calculator.

How is the state pension age changing?

The state pension age will rise again to 67 between 2026 and 2028.

The age at which you're eligible for the state pension is set to increase again to age 68, with the change legislated to happen between 2044 and 2046. 

Separate independent reviews in 2017 and 2023 have recommended the age rising to 68 in 2037-39 and 2041-43 respectively. 

However, a final decision is unlikely before 2026 at the earliest. 

How does National Insurance affect my state pension?

The amount of state pension you will receive depends on how many years you've paid National Insurance contributions.

To claim the full state pension you need 35 years (it increased from 30 years in April 2016).

If you've made fewer than 35 years' contributions and at least 10 years' worth, you'll still get a state pension - it will just be adjusted to reflect the number of qualifying years you have.

If you have any gaps in your National Insurance record, you can pay voluntary contributions to build up your entitlement to the state pension.

Go further: National Insurance rates - find out how much National Insurance you'll pay

Who qualifies for the state pension?

When you're working you pay National Insurance and get a qualifying year if:

• you're employed and earning over £12,584 from one employer
• you're self-employed and paying National Insurance contributions

If you're earning less than £12,584 a year but more than £6,396, you won't pay National Insurance but will still get a qualifying year.

Do you get state pension if you're not working?

If you're not working, or have had a period of unemployment, you can still qualify for the state pension.

This is through National Insurance credits, which fill in any gaps in your National Insurance record. You'll receive credits if:

• you've been out of work because of illness, unemployment or maternity leave
• you're a parent of children under age 12 for whom you're claiming child benefit
• you're a carer for someone sick or disabled, or a foster carer, or received Carer's Allowance.

You'll also receive National Insurance credits if you are in work, but don't earn enough to pay it.

Can I claim my state pension early due to ill health?

You cannot receive your state pension before state pension age, even if you have poor health or a limited life expectancy.

It may be that you are entitled to some other state benefits to help with your day-to-day expenses.

If you have a serious physical or mental health condition, check to see if you’re entitled to state benefits such as:

• Statutory Sick Pay
• Employment and Support Allowance
• Universal Credit
  

What is the additional state pension?

The additional state pension, also known as the state earnings-related pension scheme (Serps) or state second pension (S2P) allowed employees to top up their state pension.

It disappeared in 2016 with the introduction of the new flat-rate state pension.

This means you can no longer build up additional state pension, but the state pension you get will reflect any additional state pension you've accrued in the past.

Find out more in our guide to the additional state pension.