You’ll be able to claim the new State Pension when you reach State Pension age if you’re:
- a man born on or after 6 April 1951
- a woman born on or after 6 April 1953
If you were born before, these rules do not apply. Instead, you’ll get the basic State Pension. You may also get Additional State Pension.
This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg) and easy read format.
Your National Insurance record
You’ll need 10 qualifying years on your National Insurance record to get any new State Pension.
A qualifying year is one in which you were:
- working and made National Insurance contributions
- getting National Insurance credits for example if you were unemployed, ill or a parent or carer
- paying voluntary National Insurance contributions
You might also qualify if you’ve lived or worked abroad or paid reduced rate National Insurance for married women.
The qualifying years on your National Insurance record affect how much State Pension you get. Check your State Pension forecast to see what you might get when you reach State Pension age.
Your spouse or civil partner’s pension
Your new State Pension is usually based on your own National Insurance record. In some cases you might inherit State Pension or increase it through a spouse or civil partner.
