Half of UK adults don’t know how much they’ll get in state pension

Fifty per cent of UK adults do not know how much they’ll receive in their state pension, Standard Life has found.

The pensions and long-term savings firm revealed that a further 32% of UK adults are unaware of the age at which they will receive the state pension.

Standard Life’s latest survey of 6,000 UK adults comes as the full new state pension rises to almost £12,000.

Of those who do not know how much they’ll receive, 31% are those nearing retirement, aged 55 to 64.

The firm found that 51% of those surveyed admitted they had no idea of state pension payments and 52% were also unaware of how to calculate their state pension entitlement.

Meanwhile, 34% revealed that didn’t know that their national insurance contributions determine the level of entitlement and the amount of money they’ll receive from the state in retirement.

Managing director for retail direct at Standard Life, Dean Butler, said: "With the state pension set to rise to £11,973 a year for the 2025/26 tax year, it remains a crucial part of many people’s retirement income. But despite its importance, there’s still a lot of confusion around how it works and how much people might get.

"Knowing when you’ll start receiving your state pension and how much you’re likely to get is an important part of planning for retirement. It helps you work out how much extra you need to save, when you could afford to retire, and what your overall financial picture will look like. Understanding how your national insurance contributions impact your retirement is also vital, so you’re not caught out when the time comes.

"With the personal allowance frozen at £12,570 until 2028, there’s a good chance that people will pay tax on the state pension alone from 2026 or 2027. The Government might change the rules to avoid this, but it’s good to be aware of tax when planning for retirement."



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