New State Pension - Can I get New State Pension?

You can only get New State Pension if you reach State Pension age on or after 6 April 2016. If you reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016, you may be entitled to the Basic State Pension.

You won’t receive the New State Pension automatically when you reach pension age. You need to make a claim for it. You should receive an invitation letter from the Pension Service about 4 months before you reach State Pension age. This invitation letter will outline how to claim your State Pension.

To get New State Pension, you need to have paid enough national insurance contributions or received enough national insurance credits.

If you haven’t paid enough national insurance contributions yourself, you will not be able to claim New State Pension. Check the New State Pension – What if I don’t qualify? section of this guide to see what you can do or what else you can claim.

As long as you satisfy the national insurance conditions, you can get New State Pension even if you are working or have other income. You do not have to claim your State Pension straight away and may choose to defer your State Pension . Deferring your pension can increase your entitlement later on.

The contribution conditions

You are entitled to some New State Pension if you paid enough national insurance contributions or received enough national insurance credits for ten years.  

To find out if you have paid enough national insurance contributions to qualify for New State Pension, you can request a State Pension statement. You can do this online at  Gov.UK: Check your State Pension or you can contact the Pension Service by telephone or post.