The UK State Pension provides essential financial support every month to more than 12.6 million people in the country.
The payment is funded from National Insurance contributions and the amount you’ll receive will depend on your National Insurance record. If you are wondering how much State Pension you can expect to get at 66, this article is for you.
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At what age can I start claiming State Pension?
The earliest you can get your State Pension is when you reach your State Pension age. This age is currently 66 for both men and women. From 2026 to 2028, the age is going to rise to 67. It is then expected to rise again to 68 at some point between 2037 and 2039.
You can check when you will reach State Pension age using the State Pension Age calculator on the gov.uk website.
How much State Pension will I get at 66?
If you are a man born before 6 April 1951 or a woman born before 6 April 1953, you can claim the basic State Pension.
The full rate of this pension is currently £137.60 a week, or £7,155 a year. To qualify for the full amount, however, you need at least 30 years of National Insurance contributions on your record.
If you qualify for the basic State Pension, you may also have built up some additional State Pension. If that’s the case, you could get more than £137.60 a week.
Men born on or after 6 April 1951 and women born on or after 6 April 1953 can claim the new State Pension.
The full rate for this scheme is currently £179.60 a week, or £9,339 a year. You need to have made 35 years of National Insurance contributions to qualify for the full amount.
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Can I get a pension forecast?
If you are about to retire and want to know how much State Pension you could get, you can use the government’s online pension forecast tool to find out.
You’ll not only get a forecast of what you can get and when, but you’ll also learn how to increase it, if you can.
Alternatively, you can call the Future Pension Centre on 0800 731 0175, or +44 (0)191 218 3600 if you are outside the UK. They will post the forecast to you.
Can I claim before 66?
No, you can’t.
However, if you are contributing towards a workplace or a personal pension, you might be able to draw from it starting at the age of 55. Keep in mind that this might come with some drawbacks, so check what they are first.
How can I increase the pension I receive at 66?
The new State Pension is solely based on your National Insurance record at the time of reaching State Pension age. So the only way to boost the amount you’ll get when you hit this age is to add to your National Insurance records. You can do this, for example, by making voluntary contributions if you have gaps on your record.
Once you hit State Pension age, you can choose to defer your State Pension to increase the amount you get when you finally decide to claim.
For the basic State Pension, there is one other way to increase the amount you get.
If you are married or in a civil partnership and you are not eligible for the full amount, you may be able to increase your basic pension payment to £82.45 per week through your spouse’s or civil partner’s National Insurance record. You can check whether you qualify for this ‘top up’ on the gov.uk website.
