Lesley is 54, a teaching assistant from Stockport, and until last Tuesday she had no idea what her retirement would actually pay. A colleague mentioned her state pension forecast during a tea break, so that evening Lesley sat at the kitchen table with a laptop and a cup of tea. Ten minutes later she knew what she’d built up, when she could claim it, and the one gap quietly costing her money. Checking yours is just as quick, and this guide walks you through every step.
Your State Pension Forecast at a Glance
| Official service | Check your State Pension forecast on GOV.UK |
| Cost | Free |
| Time it takes | About 10 minutes online |
| What you need | A Government Gateway user ID and password |
| Full new State Pension (2026/27) | £241.30 a week, about £12,547 a year |
| Years needed | 35 for the full rate; 10 minimum for any payment |
| State Pension age | 66 now, rising to 67 between April 2026 and April 2028 |
What Your Forecast Actually Tells You
Three numbers changed Lesley’s evening. Her forecast showed how much State Pension she had built up so far, what she was on track to get by her pension age, and the exact date she could claim it. The tool sits on the official GOV.UK forecast page and is run jointly by HMRC and the Department for Work and Pensions, so the figures come straight from your National Insurance record. It also tells you whether you can increase the amount, and how. One catch applies: you cannot use it if you already receive your State Pension or have deferred it. The service lives inside the same personal tax account you use to check your tax code online, so one login covers both jobs.
Signing In Through Government Gateway
Getting in took Lesley less time than boiling the kettle twice. Press Start now on the forecast page and you’ll be asked for a Government Gateway user ID and password. No login yet? You can set up a Government Gateway account in about ten minutes with your National Insurance number and an email address. First-time users may need to prove their identity, usually by answering questions about a UK passport or photocard driving licence, so keep one nearby. After that the forecast loads on screen straight away, with no fee and nothing to post. Write your user ID somewhere safe once you’re done, because the same login opens tax, pension and childcare services across GOV.UK, and you will use it again.
Reading the Numbers: £241.30 a Week
The headline figure surprised Lesley. For the 2026/27 tax year the full new State Pension pays £241.30 a week, which works out at about £12,547 a year. That rate went up 4.8% in April 2026 under the triple lock, the rule that raises pensions each spring by the highest of average earnings growth, inflation or 2.5%. This year earnings growth won, adding roughly £575 a year for people on the full amount. Anyone who reached pension age before April 2016 is on the older basic State Pension instead, worth £184.90 a week in 2026/27. Your forecast shows the weekly, monthly and yearly versions of your own figure. Remember it counts as taxable income too, which feeds into what your tax code actually means once you claim.
Qualifying Years: 35 for the Full Rate, 10 to Get Anything
Lesley’s screen showed 29 qualifying years, and that number decides everything. If your National Insurance record started after April 2016, you need 35 qualifying years for the full new State Pension and at least 10 to receive any payment at all. A qualifying year is one where you worked and paid National Insurance, received National Insurance credits, or paid voluntary contributions. Employees earn them through wages, while self-employed people build theirs by paying Class 2 contributions when they file Self Assessment online. Years spent caring for children or relatives often count as well, thanks to credits. Fall short of 35 and every missing year trims your pension by roughly one thirty-fifth, so a five-year shortfall costs serious money over a long retirement.
Gaps in Your Record and the Price of Fixing Them
One red flag stood out on Lesley’s record: a gap from her career break in 2021. Filling a missing year with voluntary Class 3 contributions costs £18.40 a week for 2026/27, or £956.80 for a full year, per the official GOV.UK voluntary contributions pages. Each bought year then adds about £358 a year to your pension for life, so the outlay usually repays itself within three years of retiring. You can normally only go back six years, with a deadline of 5 April, and since April 2024 you can view gaps and pay online inside the forecast service itself. Some years come free through credits, for example while you claim Child Benefit or apply for Universal Credit online. Check a top-up will genuinely raise your pension first, because some gaps add nothing.
Checking Your Forecast on the HMRC App
Lesley’s husband Mark did the whole thing from the sofa. The free HMRC app shows the same State Pension forecast as the website, alongside your National Insurance record, tax code and income history. Sign in once with your Government Gateway details and the app remembers you, letting you back in with your fingerprint or face instead of a password. That makes it handy for a quick check after a pay rise or a house move, when you want reassurance rather than paperwork. Phone or laptop, the underlying figures are identical, so pick whichever feels comfortable. We compared the two routes in our guide to the HMRC app and the HMRC website, and for a fast pension glance the app wins on speed.
Locked Out? Other Ways to Get Your Forecast
Not everyone sails straight in. Lesley’s neighbour Barbara had forgotten her login from a tax return years ago, and the fix took five minutes once she followed our steps to recover a lost Government Gateway user ID. Prefer paper? Fill in form BR19 and post it, as long as you’re more than 30 days from State Pension age, and a forecast arrives by letter. You can also ring the Future Pension Centre on 0800 731 0175 and ask for a posted copy. People already receiving their pension, or who deferred it, should contact the Pension Service instead, since the online checker will not work for them. Whatever route you choose, the forecast itself never costs a penny.
COPE and Why Your Number Might Look Low
Some readers open their forecast and feel short-changed. If you worked in the public sector or a company scheme before April 2016, you may have been contracted out, paying less National Insurance towards your State Pension while more went into your workplace pension. Your forecast shows this as a COPE figure, the Contracted Out Pension Equivalent, and it means you might need more than 35 years for the full rate, with the difference paid by that workplace scheme instead. Timing matters too: the State Pension age is rising from 66 to 67 in stages between April 2026 and April 2028, affecting everyone born on or after 6 April 1960. Before paying for anything, check your National Insurance record online so you know exactly which years are missing.
Ten Minutes That Could Be Worth Thousands
Lesley now knows she needs six more qualifying years, and she has a plan to get them. Her state pension forecast turned a vague worry into three clear numbers on a screen, and yours will do the same. The service is free, official and quicker than most online checkouts. Put the kettle on one evening this week, sign in, and see where you stand. Future you, somewhere around 2040, will be glad you did.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a state pension forecast?
It’s a free official estimate showing how much State Pension you’ve built up, what you’re on track to receive, and the date you can start claiming it.
How much is the full new State Pension in 2026/27?
The full new State Pension pays £241.30 a week in 2026/27, about £12,547 a year, after rising 4.8% in April 2026 under the triple lock.
How many years of National Insurance do I need?
You normally need 35 qualifying years for the full new State Pension and at least 10 years to receive any State Pension payment at all.
Can I check my state pension forecast on my phone?
Yes. The free HMRC app shows your full forecast and National Insurance record once you sign in with your Government Gateway details the first time.
Why is my forecast lower than the full amount?
Usually because of gaps in your National Insurance record or because you were contracted out before 2016, shown as a COPE figure on your forecast.
Disclaimer: This article is general information, not financial or pensions advice. Rules and figures change, so confirm your own position on the official GOV.UK service before making decisions. Figures correct as of August 2026.