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State Pension Set to Top £13,000 How to Check Your Forecast

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The UK flat-rate state pension is expected to pass £13,000 next April, yet one in eight people have never checked their forecast. Here's how.

The UK state pension is on course to pass £13,000 a year from next April, but many people have no idea how much they are due to receive. One in eight people surveyed by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) said they had never checked their forecast, according to figures published on 21 September 2026.

The state pension is paid by the government once workers reach pension age, currently in their late 60s. Those who reached state pension age after April 2016 receive the flat-rate pension of £241.30 a week, or £12,547.60 a year. People who reached that age before April 2016 receive the older basic state pension of £184.90 a week, or £9,614.80 a year. Many on the older rate qualify for an extra payment known as the additional state pension.

The amount rises every year under the triple lock, which lifts the pension by whichever is highest of inflation, average wage growth or 2.5%. That formula is expected to push the flat-rate pension above £13,000 next April.

How contributions build up

Workers pay towards the state pension through National Insurance (NI) contributions. In most cases, 35 years of qualifying contributions are needed to receive the full amount. Records can have gaps - for example, for people who have lived abroad. Those who take time out of work to look after children or family members can still earn NI credits if they claim child benefit or carer's allowance.

It is also possible to fill gaps with voluntary payments. Since April 2025, however, people have only been able to buy back the previous six years. Experts point to that limit as a reason to check a forecast well ahead of retirement, rather than waiting until pension age approaches.

Anyone can view their forecast by downloading the HMRC app or using the official online state pension forecast service. Proving your identity requires official photo ID. HMRC also warned people never to click links in unsolicited emails or text messages, even ones that appear official, because they may be scams.

For broader guidance, HMRC has launched a Tax Confident website covering tax and pensions. The government-funded, independent Money Helper service offers a free retirement guidance tool that walks users through their options.

Why people put off checking

The most common reason people gave for not checking was that retirement felt too far away to think about, according to an HMRC survey of 5,000 consumers. Others said they had lost track of pension pots from previous jobs, or were unsure how career breaks might affect what they are entitled to.

People aged 45 to 54 were the group most likely never to have checked their forecast at all.

Most pensioners do not rely on the state pension alone. Many also draw on other income, chiefly savings built up in workplace or private pensions over their careers.

Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC's chief customer officer, urged people not to delay. "Whether retirement is decades away or just around the corner, I'd encourage everyone to check their forecast and see if there's anything they can do now to boost their entitlement later," she said.

state pension, HMRC, pension forecast, National Insurance, triple lock, flat-rate state pension, retirement, UK pensions

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