Basic state pension

You can claim the basic State Pension if you are:

  • a man born before 6 April 1951 
  • a woman born before 6 April 1953 

If you were born later, you will need to claim the new State Pension (external link) instead.

To get the basic State Pension you must have paid or been credited with National Insurance contributions. 

The basic State Pension increases every year by whichever is the highest of the following: 

  • earnings - the average percentage growth in wages (in Great Britain) 
  • prices - the percentage growth in prices in the UK as measured by the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) 
  • 2.5%