Can I get the State Pension if I have not worked much?
Short answer
You need at least 10 qualifying years of National Insurance to get any new State Pension, and 35 years for the full £241.30 a week (2026/27). Qualifying years do not have to come from work — NI credits for caring, Child Benefit or claiming benefits count, and you can pay voluntary contributions to fill gaps.
Your State Pension depends on your National Insurance record, not directly on how long you were employed. With fewer than 10 qualifying years you get nothing; with 35 you get the full new State Pension of £241.30 a week (2026/27); in between you get a proportionate amount — for example, 25 qualifying years gives you 25/35ths, roughly £158 a week.
Qualifying years without paid work
A qualifying year is any tax year with enough NI contributions or credits. You may have built up more years than you think, because credits are awarded automatically if you:
- Received Child Benefit for a child under 12 — each year counts as a qualifying year
- Claimed Universal Credit or Carer's Allowance
- Were a foster carer
Stay-at-home parents are the classic case: if you claimed Child Benefit, the credits should be on your record already. If you never claimed — for example because of the High Income Child Benefit Charge — you may have missed credits, and you can claim Child Benefit at a zero rate to protect your record going forward.
Checking and topping up your record
Check your NI record and State Pension forecast at gov.uk/check-state-pension. If you have gaps, you can usually pay voluntary Class 3 contributions to fill them — £18.40 a week in 2026/27 (£956.80 for a full year), which adds roughly £6.89 a week to your pension. The cost is typically recovered within about three years of retirement, so topping up is usually worthwhile if it lifts you over the 10-year minimum or closer to 35 years.
Before paying, check the gap year is not already covered by credits you were entitled to but never claimed, and confirm that paying will actually increase your pension. The Future Pension Centre (0800 731 0175) can check this for you.
If your income in retirement is still low, look at Pension Credit — it tops up weekly income to £238.00 for a single person (2026/27) and unlocks other help, and around a third of those entitled never claim it.
Related guides
State Pension
The new State Pension was introduced in April 2016 for men born on or after 6 April 1951 and women born on or after 6 April 1953. It is a regular payment from the government when you reach State Pension age, based on your National Insurance (NI) record. In 2026/27 the full new State Pension is £241.30 per week.
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Pension Credit Overview
Pension Credit is a means-tested benefit for people above State Pension age on a low income. It tops up your weekly income to a minimum guaranteed level and — critically — unlocks a range of other entitlements including the Winter Fuel Payment, full Council Tax Support, and free NHS dental treatment. Around one million eligible pensioners are estimated not to claim it.
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Carer's Allowance
Carer's Allowance is the main state benefit for unpaid carers in the UK. It is worth £86.45 per week (2026/27) and is paid to people who provide at least 35 hours of care per week to someone receiving a qualifying disability benefit. Despite being the main carer benefit, it has a comparatively low rate and strict earnings rules that catch many carers out.
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Child Benefit Basics
Child Benefit is a regular tax-free payment for people who are responsible for a child under 16 (or under 20 in approved education or training). It is not means-tested, so anyone responsible for a qualifying child can claim — though households where either partner earns over £60,000 may face a High Income Child Benefit Charge.
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