HMRC Says 1 in 8 Britons Haven't Checked Pension as State Payment Nears £13,000
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · Sep 20
HMRC Says 1 in 8 Britons Haven't Checked Pension as State Payment Nears £13,000
3 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Sep 20
Summary
One in eight Britons have never checked their state pension forecast, even as the full flat-rate payment is expected to top £13,000 a year next April, HMRC said.
A survey of 5,000 consumers found the main reason was that retirement felt too far away; people aged 45-54 were the most likely never to have checked.
£241.30 a week is the current full flat-rate pension, and workers generally need 35 qualifying years of National Insurance contributions to receive the full amount.
Since April 2025, voluntary National Insurance top-ups have been limited to the previous six years, making early checks more important for people with contribution gaps.
The rise reflects the triple lock, which lifts the state pension by whichever is highest of inflation, wage growth or 2.5%.