Information & advice

The State Pension gives people of State Pension age a regular income to live on. The current state pension age for women is 60 and 65 for men. To be entitled to a State Pension you must fulfil National Insurance (NI) contributions conditions. This can be done through contributions from your earnings‚ voluntary contributions or through credits.

The information in this factsheet is correct for the period April 2009 - March 2010. Benefit rates and other figures are expected to increase again in April 2010 but rules and figures sometimes change during the year.

The information given is applicable in England and Wales. Different rules may apply in Northern Ireland and Scotland. Readers in those nations should contact their respective national Age Concern organisations for information specific to where they live.

Further information

Please download Factsheet 19 from the top right of this screen for detailed information

Most older people are entitled to a pension but they still have to make a claim for it. If you haven’t been contacted about claiming your State Pension by 3 months before you are due to reach pension age call the Pension Service on 0845 300 1084.

Age Concern can help you make a claim – contact your local Age Concern today.

Freephone
Information Line
0800 00 99 66