TPAS - The Pensions Advisory Service

State Pensions Entitlement

State Pension Age (SPA)

The SPA for men and women is currently 65 and 60, respectively.

Between 2010 and 2020, the SPA for women will increase to 65 to ensure equality. Women born between 6 April 1950 and 5 April 1955 are affected by this change.

Between 2024 and 2026, 2034 and 2036 and 2044 and 2046, the SPA for both men and women will rise to 66, 67 and 68, respectively.  Those born after 6 April 1959 are affected by these changes.

Our SPA calculator will tell you when you'll be able to draw your state pension.

Basic State Pension (BSP)

The BSP is a flat-rate pension paid to anyone who has paid enough National Insurance contributions or has enough credits when they reach their SPA.

Currently, the full rate of BSP is payable if you have qualifying years of about 90% of the years in your working life. This is currently 39 years for a woman and 44 years for a man. Your working life begins at 16 and ends when you reach your SPA. The minimum BSP is payable if you normally have 10 or 11 qualifying years. This is normally 25% of the full rate. The more years you work or have credited then the more BSP you earn.

Those reaching SPA on or after 6 April 2010 will only require 30 qualifying years to claim the full BSP.

Spouses and civil partners who have not paid sufficient contributions to qualify for a BSP in their own right will receive pensions based on their spouse's or partner's contributions when they both have reached SPA.  For example, if a woman reaches 60 but her husband is only 62, she will have to wait until he is 65 before she can claim the pension based on his record.

Graduated Pension Scheme

This scheme was the forerunner to SERPS and the amount of pension earned depends on the number of units of graduated contributions you paid between April 1961 and April 1975 and the value of a unit at the time you come to claim your pension.

Pension Credit is a new entitlement for people aged 60 and over and was introduced by the Government from October 2003. It replaced Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG).

Pension Credit is a means-tested benefit and has two parts - a guarantee credit and a savings credit. Guarantee credit tops up your weekly income to a guaranteed level and savings credit is for people who have a small amount of income or savings. You may be able to claim either part of the Pension Credit separately or together, depending on your circumstances.

It guarantees everyone aged 60 and over an income of at least:

• £124.05 a week if you are single or
• £189.35 a week if you have a partner

From 2010 the age from which you can get Pension Credit will gradually increase. This will be in line with the State Pension age becoming 65 for women as well as men by 2020.

You can claim Pension Credit whether or not you are working, and do not need to have paid National Insurance contributions to get the benefit. It means that people aged 65 and over will be rewarded for some of the savings and income they have for their retirement.

Claims for Pension Credit made on or after 6 October 2008 will only be backdated for payment by up to three months.  Claims made before 6 October 2008 will be backdated by up to 12 months.

State Second Pension

State Second Pension (also known as additional State Pension) is paid in addition to the Basic State Pension. Until April 2002, it was usually known as SERPS and depended solely on the National Insurance contributions you paid as an employee.

From 6 April 2002, SERPS was reformed to provide a more generous additional State Pension for low and moderate earners, carers and people with a long-term illness or disability. The reformed additional State Pension is known as the State Second Pension. State Second Pension is based upon earnings on which standard rate Class 1 NI contributions are paid or treated as having been paid.

The State Second Pension provides a top-up to the basic state retirement pension based on your actual or deemed earnings. All employees have to contribute towards additional pension unless they make alternative arrangements by contributing to an occupational or personal pension scheme which is contracted out of the State Second Pension Scheme.

Q & As

I don't think that I have a full contribution record for the State Pension how can I find out?

You can complete from BR19, which is available from your local Social Security office, or you can visit the Pension Service website, www.thepensionservice.gov.uk which will give you more details.

The State Pension will not be enough for me what can I do?

If you are retired then you can apply for the Pensions Credit which will supplement your State and other Pensions. If you have not yet retired then you should look into the possibility of paying into a private pension or a pension with your employer if they offer one

I have not worked because I have been looking after children

In this case you will automatically get Home Responsibilities Protection for each year since 1978 that you have been receiving Child Benefit.

I am a woman when will it come into payment?

The State Pension Age for women is gradually being increased from 60 to 65 and it will affect you if you were born any time between April 1950 and April 1955. It is then going to increase gradually again from 65 to 68 and you will be affected if you were born on or after 6 April 1959. Try our SPA calculator.

I have not been able to work because I have been looking after someone

You will need to apply then for Home Responsibilities Protection and can do so by applying on form CF411 which is available from your local Social Security office.

How do I apply for my State Pension?

In normal circumstances the Pensions Service will write out to you about four months in advance of your reaching your State retirement age to advise you of your pension and they will send you the necessary form to apply for it. However if this does not happen then you should get in contact with them directly.

Can I retire early from the State?

Early retirement form the state is not possible.

Can I defer receipt of my State Pension?

This is possible and your State Pension will be increased by approximately 10.4% per year for each year that it is deferred.

Does the State Pension increase?

The State Pension is increased each April in line with inflation. From 2012, it will increase in line with earnings

I reach my SPA in 2009 but only have 32 years on my record. If I defer taking my pension until after 6 April 2010, will I be able to claim a full pension based on the new 30-year rule?

Unfortunately not. The new rules giving a full basic state pension based on only 30 qualifying years is only effective for those reaching SPA on or after 6 April 2010. As you will reach yours before then, you will be covered by the existing rules. You will still need 39 (for a female) or 44 (for a male) qualifying years for the full amount.