The new State Pension
There were a number of changes made to the State Pension in 2016. The new State Pension is a regular payment from the...
If you reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016, the old State Pension system applies to you.
The State Pension is a regular payment from the government based on your previous National Insurance contributions.
There are 2 different systems for claiming State Pension.
The information on this page applies if you reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016. If you reached State Pension age on or after April 2016, the new State Pension system applies to you.
The old State Pension includes 2 parts:
The old State Pension is sometimes referred to as 'the basic State Pension'.
You need to have at least 30 years of NI contributions or credits to receive the full amount. If you’re a woman born before 6 April 1950 or a man born before 6 April 1945, you may need more years of NI contributions. If this applies to you, it's a good idea to seek specialist advice.
Qualifying NI contributions include contributions that you made when you were working and contributions that were credited to you if you were unable to work. For example, you may have received NI credits if you were caring for a child or someone living with a disability, or if you claimed certain benefits.
Yes, you can, but here are some things you should bear in mind:
The earliest you can get the old State Pension is when you reach State Pension age.
Use the government's State Pension calculator to find out your State Pension age.
If you're not entitled to a full State Pension, there are a few ways you may be able to boost the amount you get:
You can choose to pay voluntary contributions to cover any gaps when you weren’t working or getting credits – contact the National Insurance helpline on 0300 200 3500 for more information.
You may be able to claim a pension based on the contributions of your current or former spouse or civil partner.
You can postpone claiming your State Pension, known as ‘deferring’, and get a higher pension or a lump sum when you do claim. But it's important to bear in mind that if you’re claiming certain benefits, they may be affected if you defer.
You won’t normally receive your State Pension automatically when you reach pension age – you need to claim it.
You should get an invitation letter from the Pension Service about 4 months before you reach the State Pension age.
If you haven't received your invitation letter with 2 months to go, call the Pension Service on 0800 731 7898.
You can then claim your pension online, over the phone or by post. You'll need to provide your National Insurance number when you make a claim and you may need to provide evidence of your date of birth.
You can claim your State Pension online on GOV.UK. The service is available 24/7 and is safe and secure. You can call 0800 169 0154 for help if you have any difficulty using the service.
You can claim over the phone by calling the Pension Service claim line on 0800 731 7898. Phone lines are open Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm (except public holidays).
You can also claim by downloading the claim forms on GOV.UK and posting them. Claiming by post is the method that takes longest.
We offer support through our free advice line on 0800 678 1602. Lines are open 8am-7pm, 365 days a year. We also have specialist advisers at over 120 local Age UKs.
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