You can get advice from an independent financial adviser if you want more information on increasing your retirement income.
Adding onto your National Insurance record
Each qualifying year after 6 April 2016 added to your National Insurance record increases your State Pension amount, up to the full rate (£221.20 a week).
Get a State Pension forecast or check your State Pension award letter to see what you’ll get.
You might be able to add more National Insurance qualifying years by:
- working and paying National Insurance contributions until you reach State Pension age
- getting National Insurance credits
- making voluntary National Insurance contributions to fill gaps in your record
Years where you were contracted out count as qualifying years and are not gaps in your National Insurance record.
Workplace or personal pensions
You can pay into a workplace pension or personal pension.
Working after State Pension age
You can keep working after you reach State Pension age. If you do, you’ll stop paying National Insurance.
Delaying (deferring) your State Pension
Your State Pension will increase every week you delay (defer) claiming it, as long as you defer for at least 9 weeks.
For every year you delay claiming, your weekly payments increase by just under 5.8%.
You cannot build up this extra State Pension if you get certain benefits. Deferring can also affect how much you can get in benefits.
Other benefits if you’ve reached State Pension age
If you’re on a low income, you may be eligible to apply for Pension Credit, even if you’ve saved money for retirement.
If you have a disability and someone helps look after you, you may be eligible for Attendance Allowance.
You may be eligible for other benefits and financial support.
