What is my State Pension likely to be?

If you want to know how much State Pension you may get when you retire, you can contact the Retirement Pension Forecasting Team on 0845 3000 168 and they will fill in a forecast application form for you over the phone. If you have speech or hearing difficulties, a textphone service is available on 0845 3000 169. Or, you can write to RPFT, The Pension Service, Tyneview Park, Whitley Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE98 1BA for a forecast form (BR19) and a return envelope. You can get form BR19 from your nearest social security office, Jobcentre, Jobcentre Plus or pension centre (details are in your phone book), or you can download the form from the resource centre of The Pension Service website at www.thepensionservice.gov.uk. Once we have received your filled-in application form, we will send you a forecast of how much your State Pension is likely to be. This forecast will help you to decide whether you are currently saving enough for your retirement needs, and what more you may need to do.

The State Pension forecast is based on our knowledge of your current circumstances, and these could change. So, your forecast will be most accurate if you are near to your State Pension age. But it is best not to put off applying for your forecast until you are close to State Pension age. That way, you will have more time to make additional pension arrangements if you think your State Pension will not be enough to give you the lifestyle you want when you retire. We will automatically send you an estimate of your State Pension entitlement four months before you reach State Pension age, along with an invitation to claim your State Pension. But to do this we need your up-to-date address, so you must make sure that you tell us if you move.

What do I need to do now?

Your State Pension forecast will tell you how much State Pension you are likely to get. You can then decide whether this will give you the income you want when you retire. If not, think about making extra pension arrangements.

You can find out more about state pensions in A guide to State Pensions (NP46). Click here for details about how you can get a copy of this guide. You can also contact your nearest social security office, pension centre or Jobcentre (details are in your phone book) if you have questions about the State Pension. Please have your National Insurance number handy, because we need it to find your records.

You may want to read some of the other guides in this series as a first step towards planning for your future.