Educational use only. Not financial, investment, tax or legal advice.

Free UK pension calculator

A pension forecast from your pot, salary and contributions. Employer money and basic-rate tax relief are included. The State Pension is shown separately, so you can see if the income is enough.

Your Pension Details

Full new state pension is £12,547/year (£241.30/week) for 2026/27

Conservative (1%)Average (5%)Optimistic (10%)

Your Pension Projection

Understanding UK Pension Contributions

Learn how your pension pot grows through different sources.

Your Contributions

Money you contribute from your salary. Even small contributions add up significantly over time through compound growth.

Employer Match

Many employers match your contributions - this is essentially free money. Always contribute enough to get the full employer match.

Tax Relief

The government adds 20% tax relief to your pension automatically. Higher rate taxpayers can claim more through self-assessment.

Track All Your Pensions in One Place

Sign up for free to track all your pension pots, see your complete retirement picture, and get personalised recommendations to boost your savings.

With Delphina, you can:
  • Track all your pensions in one place
  • See projected retirement income
  • Get personalised savings recommendations
  • Run "what-if" scenarios

Frequently Asked Questions

How the pension calculator works

Each year the calculator adds your contribution and your employer's contribution, both as a percentage of your salary, to your current pension pot, then grows the whole pot by the expected annual return you choose. It repeats this every year until your expected retirement age.

Your estimated retirement income combines two parts: a withdrawal of 4% a year from your projected pot, and the State Pension. The State Pension defaults to the full new State Pension of £12,547 a year for 2026/27; change it if your own forecast is different.

What the results mean

  • Projected pension pot: what your pension could be worth at retirement if contributions and returns stay as entered.
  • Tax relief: the basic-rate relief on your own contributions. Higher and additional-rate taxpayers can claim extra relief through Self Assessment, which is not included.
  • Investment growth: how much of the final pot comes from returns rather than money paid in. The longer the time to retirement, the larger this share.
  • Estimated annual income: 4% of the pot plus the State Pension. It is a planning figure, not a guaranteed income.

Assumptions to keep in mind

  • Figures are in today's money only if you enter a real (after-inflation) return; with a nominal return they are future pounds.
  • Your salary and contribution rates are held flat, so pay rises are not included.
  • Returns are the same every year. Real markets vary, and the order of good and bad years matters most around retirement.
  • You can usually access a private pension from 55, rising to 57 from 6 April 2028. You need 35 qualifying National Insurance years for the full new State Pension; check your forecast on GOV.UK.

What this forecast does not decide

A pot is not a verdict. If you want to know whether the income covers a moderate retirement, use the guide on will my pension be enough. If you want the date, use the when can I retire calculator. Delphina keeps pensions, ISAs and spending in one picture and names the next action. Guidance, not advice.

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Pension calculator questions

Is this a free UK pension calculator?

Yes. It is free and does not need an account. Enter your age, pot, salary and contribution rates. It projects the pot to your retirement age and adds a State Pension figure you can override.

Does the pension forecast include the State Pension?

The pot projection is your own pension. Estimated income then adds the full new State Pension of £12,547.60 a year for 2026/27 (£241.30 a week), unless you change that figure to match your GOV.UK forecast. Basic-rate tax relief is in the contribution figure. Higher-rate relief claimed through Self Assessment is not. The annual allowance is £60,000 in 2026/27.

When can I take the pension this calculator projects?

A private or workplace pension can usually be taken from 55, rising to 57 from 6 April 2028. The State Pension starts later, at your State Pension age. The years in between have to be covered by your own money.