How much State Pension will I get?
The short answer is one number, but the path to it has four steps. Here is the direct answer, then the steps.
Direct answer
The full new State Pension for 2026/27 is £241.30 per week (£12,547.60 per year) if you have 35 qualifying NI years and were never contracted out1. With fewer years the figure is pro-rata. With under 10 years you get nothing2.
The four steps that decide your number
- Count your qualifying NI years. Each year of NI contributions or NI credits (carer, child benefit, jobseeker) is one year3.
- Subtract contracted-out years. If you were in a workplace pension that contracted out before April 2016, your starting amount is reduced via the COPE deduction4.
- Multiply by the per-year value. Each qualifying year is worth roughly £6.89/week toward the full 35-year cap.
- Add any voluntary years you buy. Class 3 voluntary NI costs £923/year for the year and adds the same per-year value5.
Worked example
28 qualifying years, 0 contracted-out, buying 2 voluntary years:
Effective years
30 of 35
Weekly amount
£206.83
Annual amount
£10755.09
Buy-back cost
£1,846.00
Payback after SPA
~2y 7m
Next steps
- Run the live calculator to see your number with your own inputs.
- Full new State Pension page if you want the £241.30 deep dive.
- Why my forecast is below £241.30 if you have done the gov.uk check already.
- All the common questions in one place.
By Oliver Wakefield-Smith, Founder, Digital Signet.
Rates current for 2026/27 · Verified Q2 2026 · Next refresh after Autumn Budget 2026