How to claim your State Pension — it doesn't start by itself.
You have to claim the State Pension. Claim online with the code from your invitation letter, or by phone in the 4 months before you reach State Pension age. Here are the steps, the timing and what happens if you claim late.
- ▸The State Pension is not paid automatically: you claim it, usually online with the invitation code from your letter.
- ▸You can claim by phone in the 4 months before State Pension age, or by post using a form you request by phone.
- ▸Your first payment comes no later than 5 weeks after the start date you choose, then every 4 weeks.
- ▸Claim late and a new State Pension claim can be backdated by up to 52 weeks; wait longer and it counts as deferral.
The quick answer
Wait for the letter about your State Pension, then claim online with its invitation code at GOV.UK: get your State Pension. Not had a letter and within 3 months of State Pension age? Request an invitation code. Prefer the phone? Call the Pension Service in the 4 months before. Not sure when you reach State Pension age? Use the State Pension age calculator.
When to do what
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| About 2 months before | You should get a letter with an invitation code telling you how to claim (nidirect says no later than two months before State Pension age). |
| Within 3 months | No letter yet? You can request an invitation code to claim online. |
| Within 4 months | You can claim by phone, and claims from abroad can be made from 4 months before. |
| On your State Pension age | Your pension can start. If you don't claim, it is deferred automatically and grows. |
| Up to 5 weeks after the start date you choose | Your first payment arrives, then a full payment every 4 weeks. |
| Up to 12 months late | For the new State Pension you can backdate a claim by up to 52 weeks and get the missed payments as a one-off sum. |
Three ways to claim
- Online. The quickest route. You need the invitation code from your letter.
- By phone. Call the Pension Service if you'll reach State Pension age in the next 4 months.
- By post. Phone the Pension Service for a claim form, then send it to the freepost address GOV.UK gives (Freepost DWP Pensions Service 3).
What you'll need
- The date of your most recent marriage, civil partnership or divorce.
- The dates of any time you lived or worked abroad, and any foreign social security numbers.
- Your bank or building society details.
- The invitation code, if you claim online.
If you lived or worked in the EEA or Switzerland, you'll be sent a form and the International Pension Centre will pass your claim to those countries' schemes.
When you're paid
Your first payment comes no later than 5 weeks after the date you choose for your pension to start, sometimes with a part payment first. After that you get a full payment every 4 weeks. Your payment day is set by the last two digits of your National Insurance number:
| Last 2 digits of your NI number | Payment day |
|---|---|
| 00 to 19 | Monday |
| 20 to 39 | Tuesday |
| 40 to 59 | Wednesday |
| 60 to 79 | Thursday |
| 80 to 99 | Friday |
You may be paid earlier when your day is a bank holiday. Our State Pension payment dates guide has the calendar.
If you claim late, or decide to wait
If you don't claim, your State Pension is deferred automatically. For the new State Pension you can then:
- backdate your claim by up to 52 weeks and get those payments as a one-off sum, without interest; or
- leave it deferred, which adds 1% for every 9 weeks to your weekly pension, just under 5.8% a year.
The State Pension deferral guide shows how much extra that is. You can claim and keep working; see part-time work and the State Pension.
Northern Ireland and abroad
- Northern Ireland: claim through nidirect and the Northern Ireland Pension Centre, online, by phone or by post.
- Abroad, including the Channel Islands: within 4 months of State Pension age, contact the International Pension Centre or send the international claim form. See claim State Pension abroad.
After you claim
Tell the Pension Service if your circumstances change. If your income is low, check whether you could also get Pension Credit. For what you'll get, start with your State Pension forecast; the full new State Pension is £241.30 a week in 2026/27.
Claiming the State Pension: questions
Do I get my State Pension automatically?
No. You have to claim it. You should get a letter with an invitation code shortly before you reach State Pension age; if you're within 3 months and haven't had one, you can request a code online.
How early can I claim my State Pension?
You can claim by phone, or from abroad, if you'll reach State Pension age in the next 4 months. Online claims use the invitation code from your letter, or a code you can request within 3 months of State Pension age.
Can I backdate my State Pension claim?
If you reach State Pension age on or after 6 April 2016, you can backdate a late claim by up to 52 weeks and get the missed payments as a one-off arrears payment, without interest. If you wait longer than that, the extra time counts as deferral and increases your weekly pension instead.
What do I need to claim?
The date of your most recent marriage, civil partnership or divorce, the dates of any time you lived or worked abroad, your bank or building society details, any foreign social security numbers, and the invitation code if you claim online.
Can I keep working and still claim my State Pension?
Yes. You can claim the State Pension and carry on working. You no longer pay National Insurance on earnings after State Pension age, but the pension counts as taxable income.
When will my first State Pension payment arrive?
No later than 5 weeks after the start date you choose when you claim. After that you get a full payment every 4 weeks, on a weekday set by the last two digits of your National Insurance number.
- ▸You will not get your new State Pension automatically; you have to claim it, online with an invitation code, by phone within 4 months of State Pension age, or by post. [GOV.UK]
- ▸The first payment is no later than 5 weeks after the date you choose, then every 4 weeks on a day set by your National Insurance number. [GOV.UK]
- ▸If you reach State Pension age on or after 6 April 2016, deferred State Pension can be taken as a one-off arrears payment of up to 52 weeks. [GOV.UK]
- ▸In Northern Ireland you should get a letter no later than two months before State Pension age telling you what to do. [nidirect]