Home › Guides › State Pension › How much is the State Pension? What you’ll get in 2026/27
England · 2026/27 rates · checked 7 September 2026
Full new State Pension £241.30, basic £184.90, how qualifying years change it, the “at 66” question, women, couples and widows — and the care-fee arithmetic.
Check your own date and amount — State Pension age calculator: date of birth in, exact date and 2026/27 amount out, plus what stays with you if a care home is being paid for.
| Which scheme are you in? | Full weekly rate 2026/27 | Per year (×52) | Per 4-week payment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New State Pension — men born on/after 6 Apr 1951, women on/after 6 Apr 1953 | £241.30 | £12,547.60 | £965.20 |
| Basic State Pension — everyone born earlier | £184.90 | £9,614.80 | £739.60 |
"Full" means the maximum. What you actually get depends on your National Insurance record. Only your personal forecast on gov.uk gives your number — we don't estimate it.
Rough guide by years (our calculation, 2026/27 rate):
| Qualifying years | Weekly |
|---|---|
| 10 | £68.94 |
| 20 | £137.89 |
| 25 | £172.36 |
| 30 | £206.83 |
| 35 | £241.30 |
The amount does not depend on the age you claim, only on your NI record. Reaching State Pension age at 66 (born before 6 April 1960) or 67 (born 6 March 1961 or later) makes no difference to the weekly rate — see the age calculator for your date. The only thing that changes the rate after SPA is deferring: +1% for every 9 weeks you delay, about 5.8% a year (gov.uk) — details.
Is there a different rate for women? No. Since 6 April 2016 the new State Pension is individual and identical for men and women. Women born before 6 April 1953 are on the basic State Pension (£184.90 full); some in that group with fewer qualifying years may get the lower Category B rate of £110.75 based on a husband's record (DWP rates table).
How much is the State Pension for a couple? There is no "couple's rate". Each partner has their own entitlement: two full new State Pensions = 2 × £241.30 = £482.60 a week. Two full basic State Pensions = £369.80. If one partner has a small or no basic State Pension (pre-2016 rules), they may be able to claim up to £110.75 a week on the other's record (gov.uk).
How much is the State Pension for a widow or widower? Depends on which scheme the deceased was in. Under the old rules you can inherit some of a spouse's basic and additional State Pension if your own is below £184.90 (gov.uk). Under the new State Pension there is generally no inheritance, except part of a "protected payment" where the partner's pre-2016 record was above the new full rate. The rules turn on dates of marriage and of reaching SPA — use the gov.uk inheritance guidance rather than a rule of thumb.
Is the State Pension taxable? Yes — it is income, though nothing is deducted at source. gov.uk: tax on your State Pension.
This is the section most of our readers actually need.
State Pension forecast · NI record · Voluntary contributions.
Rates from DWP "Benefit and pension rates 2026/27"; qualifying-years rules from gov.uk; care charging figures from DHSC LAC 2026/27 (17 Feb 2026). Per-year and couple totals are our arithmetic on those rates and are marked as such. 13.2 million people receive the State Pension (Aug 2025, DWP). Cite as: WhatCareCosts, "How much is the State Pension 2026/27", verified 7 Sep 2026.
Rates: DWP Benefit and pension rates 2026/27; uprating: written statement HLWS1099, 26 November 2025; State Pension age: DWP timetables, Pensions Acts 2007 and 2014; care charging: DHSC circular 2026/27, Care Act 2014, SI 2014/2672. Personal figures: gov.uk State Pension forecast. If gov.uk and this page disagree, gov.uk is right — tell us.