As the cost of living doesn’t seem to be settling any time soon, many may be wondering if they are entitled to claim their State Pension for extra financial help.

However, your entitlement to claiming depends on your gender and when you were born.

Currently, if you reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016, you can claim for your basic State Pension.

“The amount of State Pension you’ll get depends on how many ‘qualifying’ years of National Insurance payments you have,” reports Citizens Advice.

What is the Autumn Statement?

“This includes National Insurance contributions that you pay when you are working and contributions that are credited to you when you are unable to work.”

From 6 May 2026, the State Pension age will start increasing again and will reach 67 by March 6, 2028 – this affects anyone born between April 6, 1960 and April 5, 1977.

You will be able to claim the new State Pension if you’re:

  • a man born on or after April 6, 1951
  • a woman born on or after April 6, 1953

How to find out your State Pension age

You can find out your State Pension age by using the calculator on the GOV.UK website.

Here, you will also be able to get an estimate of how much State Pension you could get, which is called a State Pension Statement.

Can I claim my State Pension whilst continuing to work?

Citizens Advice shares: “You can choose to keep on working, whether paid or on a voluntary basis, while claiming your State Pension.

“Any money you earn will not affect your State Pension, but it may affect your entitlement to other benefits such as Pension Credit, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction.”