As the cost of living crisis continues, many older Britons approaching retirement may want to double-check when they will receive this cash boost to plan for their future.
With plans to increase the state pension age underway, people will be left waiting longer before they receive their benefit.
The state pension age is currently 66 for both men and women in the UK.
From April 2026 the state pension age will begin further increases to 66, and then to 67 by March 2028.
Britons are urged to check how much they are set to get when retirement age comes as those with gaps in their National Insurance record could be missing out on thousands.
Individuals need at least 10 years of National Insurance contributions (NICs) to qualify for the new state pension and 35 years to receive the full amount.
To get the full basic state pension people will need a total of 30 qualifying years of National Insurance contributions or credits.
Qualifying years are accumulated through working, but can also be earned by receiving certain benefits or making voluntary contributions.
Britons can check how many NICs they have by getting a state pension forecast.
The online tool is straightforward and easy to use. People could be able to find out when they can claim the state pension within a matter of seconds.
People can find out their state pension age, their Pension Credit qualifying age and when they’ll be eligible for free bus travel.
Britons can follow the instructions on the Government website and put in their details to get the information.
The user will be asked to enter their birth date, and press continue.
It should then state when one will reach state pension age, and what the state pension age will be.
People can find out an estimate of how much state pension they will receive online.
A full NI year usually costs £824 and adds up to £275 each year to one’s pre-tax state pension.
For this tax year, 2023/204 the full amount of state pension is worth £203.85 a week or £10,600.20 a year.
If someone has gaps in their NI record which are preventing them from getting the maximum state pension, they could boost their entitlement using benefits or voluntary contributions.
A man born before April 6, 1951, or a woman born before April 6, 1953, can make a Class 3A voluntary National Insurance contributions to top up their state pension.
How much they pay depends on how much extra money they want to receive from their state pension and how old they are.
If people think they are eligible, they can for the top-up on GOV.UK. Britons have the chance to fill in gaps from 2006, before July 31, 2023.
