State Pension
A regular payment from the government in retirement based on National Insurance contributions. The new single-tier State Pension (from 2016) requires 35 qualifying years for the full amount.
Independent editorial summary — not the official statute text. Read the official version on legislation.gov.uk.
A person can claim the new State Pension when they reach State Pension age if they are a man born on or after 6 April 1951 or a woman born on or after 6 April 1953; people born before these dates instead get the basic State Pension (and may also get Additional State Pension). A claimant needs at least 10 qualifying years on their National Insurance record to get any new State Pension at all.
If a claimant's National Insurance record started after April 2016, they will generally need 35 qualifying years to get the full rate of the new State Pension; those who were contracted out of the additional State Pension will usually need more than 35 qualifying years to reach the full rate. A qualifying year is one in which the person worked and paid National Insurance, received National Insurance credits, or paid voluntary contributions.
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Official sources
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