UK Pension Calculator 2026/27
Project your pension pot and retirement income in today's money, including the State Pension and 25% tax-free cash, and see how it compares with the minimum, moderate and comfortable retirement standards.
State Pension age is rising to 67 (2026–28)
All your pensions added together
Before tax, per year
Including tax relief
Minimum 3% under auto-enrolment
Qualifying earnings = pay between £6,240 and £50,270: £33,760 for you
- Pension drawdown: 4% of £130,612 = £5,224 a year
- State Pension: £12,548 a year (35/35 of £12,548, from State Pension age)
- Income tax: £1,040, leaving £16,732
- Pot growth: £30,000 today + £86,426 paid in over 32 years + £57,724 real investment growth (1.95% a year after fees and inflation)
| Retirement standard (one person) | Spending a year | You | Extra to pay in |
|---|---|---|---|
| minimum | £13,900 | ✓ on track | — |
| moderate | £32,700 | £15,968 short | £15,168/yr (£1,264/mo) |
| comfortable | £45,400 | £28,668 short | £26,181/yr (£2,182/mo) |
Standards are yearly spending after tax from Pensions UK's Retirement Living Standards. Extra contributions are in today's money, including employer contributions and tax relief.
- →Get the full employer match: many employers pay more if you do. It's the best return you'll find.
- →Salary sacrifice saves National Insurance as well as income tax, if your employer offers it.
- →Higher-rate taxpayers can claim extra tax relief on personal contributions through self assessment.
- →Check your State Pension forecast on GOV.UK and fill gaps in your National Insurance record if it's worth it.
- →Combine old pensions only after checking fees and any guarantees you could lose.
Full new State Pension £241.30/week. Lump Sum Allowance £268,275. Projections aren't guaranteed and aren't financial advice.
This tool is for informational purposes only. Always verify results with a qualified professional.
What is the UK Pension Calculator 2026/27?
This UK pension calculator projects how big your workplace or personal pension pot could be when you retire and what income it, together with the State Pension, could give you each year. Enter your age, the age you plan to retire, your current pot, your salary and the percentage you and your employer pay in, and it works out your pot at retirement, the 25% tax-free lump sum, a sustainable yearly income from the rest, your State Pension and your total income after tax. Everything is shown in today's money, so a figure of £30,000 means what £30,000 buys now, not in the future.
The figures use the 2026/27 rules. The full new State Pension is £241.30 a week (£12,547.60 a year) for people with 35 qualifying years of National Insurance; with fewer years you get a proportion, and nothing below 10 years. Under auto-enrolment, minimum contributions are 8% of qualifying earnings between £6,240 and £50,270 a year, with at least 3% from your employer and the rest from you including tax relief. You can usually take 25% of your pot tax-free, up to the Lump Sum Allowance of £268,275, and the annual allowance for tax-relieved pension saving is £60,000. Income tax in retirement uses the £12,570 personal allowance and the 20%, 40% and 45% bands.
To judge whether that income is enough, the calculator compares it with the Retirement Living Standards from Pensions UK (formerly the PLSA), which estimate yearly spending after tax: £13,900 for a minimum, £32,700 for a moderate and £45,400 for a comfortable retirement for one person, or £22,500, £45,400 and £62,700 for a couple. If you are short of a standard, it tells you how much more you would need to contribute each year and each month to reach it.
Worked example: a 35-year-old earning £40,000 with a £30,000 pot pays 5% and gets 3% from their employer on qualifying earnings, which is £2,701 a year. With 5% growth, 0.5% fees and 2.5% inflation (a real return of about 1.95%), the pot reaches about £174,000 in today's money at 67. Taking 25% tax-free leaves about £130,600; withdrawing 4% a year gives £5,224, plus the full State Pension of £12,548, for about £17,770 before tax and £16,730 after tax. That beats the minimum standard but falls short of the moderate one: reaching £32,700 would need about £15,170 a year more in contributions.
Projections are not guaranteed. Investment returns go up and down, fees and inflation vary, and the State Pension and tax rules can change. A 4% withdrawal rate is a common rule of thumb for drawdown, not a promise; an annuity gives a guaranteed income instead. For personal advice, speak to a regulated financial adviser, or get free guidance from MoneyHelper or Pension Wise (for people aged 50 and over).
How to Use This Calculator
- 1Enter your age, the age you want to retire and your current pension pot.
- 2Enter your salary and the percentage you and your employer pay in, and whether it is calculated on qualifying earnings or your full salary.
- 3Check the growth, fees, inflation and withdrawal assumptions, and your qualifying National Insurance years.
- 4Choose single or couple to compare your income with the minimum, moderate and comfortable standards.
- 5Read your pot, tax-free cash and yearly income, and the extra contribution needed for each standard.