Under the UK new State Pension rules for 2026/27, you generally need 35 qualifying years on your National Insurance record for the full rate if your record started after April 2016, and at least 10 qualifying years to get any State Pension. If you have National Insurance history from before April 2016, especially if you were contracted out, the number you need can be different.

The basic rules

The new State Pension applies to men born on or after 6 April 1951 and women born on or after 6 April 1953. The broad position is:

  • you generally need at least 10 qualifying years to receive anything
  • if your National Insurance record started after April 2016, you need 35 qualifying years for the full rate
  • with between 10 and 35 years, you would normally receive a proportion of the full rate

The full new State Pension rate for 2026/27 is GBP 241.30 a week. Your own amount may be lower or higher depending on your National Insurance record and starting amount.

A qualifying year is generally one in which you were working and paying National Insurance, receiving National Insurance credits (for example for caring for a child or while claiming certain benefits), or paying voluntary contributions.

If you have National Insurance history before April 2016

Most people now approaching retirement have records stretching back before 2016. For them, DWP calculated a "starting amount" at 6 April 2016. This is the higher of the pension you would have got under the old rules and the amount you would have got if the new State Pension had applied for your whole working life up to that date.

If you were contracted out of the Additional State Pension, for example through a workplace final salary pension, a deduction was made when working out your starting amount. GOV.UK notes that people who were contracted out will usually need more than 35 qualifying years to reach the full rate. DWP guidance says each qualifying year added after 5 April 2016 adds about GBP 6.89 a week (the full rate divided by 35), until you reach the full rate or State Pension age.

If your starting amount was higher than the full new State Pension, the difference is paid as a "protected payment" on top.

What this means if you live abroad

Years spent working abroad generally do not count towards your UK State Pension unless you paid UK National Insurance or voluntary contributions for them. Some countries have social security agreements with the UK, and time in EEA countries or Switzerland may help you meet the 10-year minimum, but contributions paid abroad generally do not increase the amount of your UK pension.

You can check your record and get a forecast on GOV.UK. If you have gaps, you may be able to fill them with voluntary contributions, depending on your history. From 6 April 2026, Class 2 is no longer available for time abroad, and Class 3 for time abroad generally requires 10 years of UK residence in a row or 10 years of paid contributions. Our guide to UK pension options for British expats in the UAE covers this in more detail.

Also remember that the State Pension does not get yearly increases in some countries, including the UAE and Australia, which affects its long-term value.

Illustrative example

Illustrative example only, not a real client.

Claire, 50, worked in the UK from 2000 to 2015 before moving to Dubai. She was never contracted out. Assume her forecast shows 15 qualifying years and a State Pension age of 67.

On a simple 1/35 basis, 15 years would give about GBP 103.41 a week (15/35 x GBP 241.30). As she lived in the UK for 15 years in a row, she may meet the condition to pay voluntary Class 3. If she added a qualifying year for each of the 17 years until State Pension age, she would have 32 years, about GBP 220.62 a week on the same simple basis (32/35 x GBP 241.30), in today's money. This is a simplified illustration. Her actual starting amount is calculated under specific transitional rules and may differ, so her forecast, not this calculation, is what she should rely on.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming 30 years is still enough, which was the rule under the old basic State Pension.
  • Ignoring the effect of having been contracted out on how many years you need.
  • Paying voluntary contributions without first checking your forecast shows they will help.
  • Assuming years worked overseas count towards your UK pension.

Sources and further reading

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Last reviewed: October 2026. Tax year: 2026/27. Jurisdictions covered: UK. Rates, legislation and guidance change, so recheck before relying on this. Rules can differ between England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland; tax residence is fact-specific; treaty outcomes depend on residence, domicile or nationality provisions; examples are simplified and omit reliefs, costs, exchange rates and anti-avoidance rules. This is general information, not financial, tax or legal advice. Take advice in the relevant country before acting.