Retirement Pension

Retirement Pension is for people who have reached state pension age. It is based on National Insurance (NI) contributions and made up of different elements.

State pension age

From 6 April 2020, the state pension age for women will be 65, the same as for men. Women's state pension age will start to change gradually from 2010.

This will not affect women born before 6 April 1950, who can still claim their state pension at 60. Women born on or after 6 April 1955 will have a state pension age of 65.

Women born on or after 6 April 1950 but before 6 April 1955 can find out their state pension age from leaflet EQP1a Equality in state pension age.

You may be entitled to it if:

* You or your husband/wife has paid or been credited with NI contributions
* You have reached the age of 65 (for men) or 60 (for women)

Retirement Pension is made up of the following:

Basic Pension

Based on how many NI contributions you have paid or been credited with. If you do not have enough, you may be able to pay some extra contributions.

Additional Pension

Paid from the State Earnings-Related Pension Scheme (SERPS), and is based on your earnings as an employee from 6 April 1978. If you were a member of a contracted-out employer's pension or personal pension scheme, any Additional Pension you have earned up to 5 April 1997 is reduced by a contracted-out deduction. From 6 April 1997, you will have earned Additional Pension only if you have paid standard rate contracted-in contributions as an employee.

Graduated Retirement Benefit

Based on any graduated NI contributions you paid between April 1961 and April 1975.

Invalidity Addition

Paid if you had an Invalidity Allowance shortly before you reached state pension age. If you become entitled to your pension on or after 16 September 1985, the total of any Additional Pension and contracted-out deductions will be taken away from your Invalidity Addition. Anything left over will be paid to you as an Invalidity Addition.

Age Addition

Paid to anyone aged 80 or over.

Extra pension for dependants

You may be able to get extra pension for your husband or wife, any children you are responsible for, or if someone else looks after children for you.

If you are a married woman and cannot get a full Basic Pension based on your own NI record, you may be able to get a Basic Pension based on your husband's NI record. You can only do this if he is already getting a pension and you are aged 60 or over.

If you are a widow or widower, you may be able to get a Retirement Pension based on your husband's or wife's NI record.

If you are a widow or widower, at the moment you can get the whole of your husband's or wife's Additional Pension. If you are widowed on or after 6 October 2002 you will only be able to get half of their Additional Pension.

If you are divorced and cannot get a full Basic Pension based on your own NI record, you may be able to get a Basic Pension based on your former husband's or wife's record. They do not need to be getting their pension.

If you carry on working after claiming your Retirement Pension, your earnings will not affect how much pension you get. But if you get extra pension for a dependent, their earnings may affect how much extra pension you get for them.

If you put off claiming your pension when you reach state pension age, you can earn extra pension called increments. The weekly amount of your pension will be higher, but you will not get any pension for the weeks you put off claiming.

(Only use the amounts shown as a guide.)

Weekly amounts:

Basic Pension based on your own or your late husband's or wife's NI contributions £90.70

Based on your husband's or wife's NI contributions £54.35

Non-contributory (based on residence) - full rate £54.35

Additional Pension

This is based on your earnings since April 1978 and is paid from the State Earnings Related Pension Scheme (SERPS).

You will usually be sent a claim form for Retirement Pension 4 months before you reach state pension age. If you have not received one, 3 months before you reach state pension age, get in touch with your social security office.

DISCLAIMER - Although every effort is made to ensure the information on these pages is accurate and up to date, we cannot be held liable for any inaccuracies and their consequences. The information should not be treated as a complete and authoritative statement of the law. If you wish to know more about your benefit rights, you should seek independent advice.