UK State Pension checklist: plan and claim step by step

Check your date and your forecast

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Find your State Pension age with the State Pension age calculator.
It is the earliest age you can start receiving the State Pension, and it can differ from the age for a workplace or personal pension (GOV.UK).
Get your State Pension forecast on GOV.UK or in the HMRC app.
It shows your amount, your State Pension age, your National Insurance record and whether you can increase it. By post: form BR19, or the Future Pension Centre (GOV.UK).
Count your qualifying years: 10 for any pension, 35 for the full £241.30 a week.
If you have years before April 2016, your forecast starts from a starting amount that can differ from the 35-year rule (GOV.UK).
If you already get your State Pension, or have delayed it, contact the Pension Service instead.
The online forecast service cannot be used once you have claimed or deferred (GOV.UK).

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Look for gaps in your National Insurance record on your forecast.
Years when you were contracted out count as qualifying years and are not gaps (GOV.UK).
Check you get the credits you are owed, for example Child Benefit for a child under 12.
You must apply for Child Benefit to get the National Insurance credit, even if you choose not to receive the payment (GOV.UK).
Decide whether to pay voluntary National Insurance to fill a gap.
Class 3 is £18.40 a week in 2026/27. You can only pay for the past 6 years, and the deadline is 5 April each year (GOV.UK).
Ask the Future Pension Centre whether a gap payment would raise your pension.
They check your record and tell you whether it benefits you to pay (GOV.UK).
If you can, keep working or getting credits until State Pension age.
Each qualifying year after April 2016 adds about £6.89 a week, up to the full rate (GOV.UK).

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Look out for the invitation letter from the Pension Service, with the code to claim online.
If it has not come and you are within 3 months of State Pension age, you can request an invitation code (GOV.UK).
Gather the dates of your latest marriage, civil partnership or divorce, any time abroad and your bank details.
Also any social security numbers you have from foreign state pension schemes (GOV.UK).
Decide whether to claim at State Pension age or delay.
Delaying adds 1% for every 9 weeks, at least 9 weeks, or a one-off payment for up to 52 weeks. You cannot build it up on certain benefits (GOV.UK).
If you keep working, remember you stop paying National Insurance at State Pension age.
Your pay and your State Pension both count as income for tax (GOV.UK).

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Claim: it is not paid automatically. Use the invitation code online, or phone the Pension Service.
You can phone if you reach State Pension age within 4 months. By post, phone first to get a claim form (GOV.UK).
Choose the date you want your State Pension to start.
Your first payment will be no later than 5 weeks after the date you choose (GOV.UK).
If you have lived or worked abroad, say so on the claim.
You may qualify for a state pension from another country too. For the EEA and Switzerland, the International Pension Centre sends your claim on (GOV.UK).
Claiming from Northern Ireland or from abroad works differently: use the GOV.UK pages for those cases.

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Read the letter that confirms your payments.
You get a letter about your payments after you claim (GOV.UK).
Check your payment day: it depends on the last two digits of your National Insurance number.
The State Pension is usually paid into your account every 4 weeks (GOV.UK).
Tell the Pension Service if your circumstances change.
Check your tax: add the State Pension to your other income.
You pay Income Tax if the total is more than your Personal Allowance (GOV.UK).
If your income is low, check whether you can claim Pension Credit.
You may be eligible even if you have savings. Attendance Allowance may help if you have a disability and need care (GOV.UK).