Glossary · Pensions

State Pension

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Content updated: 26 May 2026

By the Money Guide editorial team · Editorial responsibility: Kaiser Khan, Editorial Director · How we check facts

Definition: The weekly pension paid by the government from your State Pension age, based on your NI record. The full new State Pension is £241.30 a week in 2026/27 (£12,547.60 over 52 weeks). Your actual amount depends on your National Insurance record.

You normally need at least 10 qualifying National Insurance years for any new State Pension. The 35-year rule for the full amount applies if your NI record started after April 2016; earlier records use transitional rules, including any contracted-out history. Check your personal forecast.

Primary source: gov.uk/new-state-pension

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