How Much Is State Pension UK 2026/27?

The full new State Pension in 2026/27 is £241.30 a week, which works out at £12,548 a year. The basic State Pension (old system) is £184.90 a week or £9,615 a year.

Most people do not receive the full amount. Contracted-out periods, gap years, and incomplete NI records mean the average payment in 2026 sits closer to £194 a week than the headline figure.

A single person on the full new State Pension and nothing else is roughly £3,500 a year below the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association minimum retirement standard. The State Pension is a floor, not a plan.

Filling missing NI years with voluntary Class 3 contributions costs £956.80 per year for 2026/27 and pays itself back in under three years for someone who lives a typical post-67 lifespan.