UK Pension Calculators
& Guides
Plan your retirement with confidence. See how much to save, how salary sacrifice cuts your tax bill, and when you might be able to retire.
Most popular · Pensions
Pension Calculator
Project your pension pot size and monthly retirement income.
Pension calculators
6Salary Sacrifice Calculator
See how pension salary sacrifice reduces your tax and NI bill.
Open calculatorState Pension Calculator
Estimate your State Pension based on your National Insurance record.
Open calculatorTake Home Pay Calculator
Calculate your net salary after income tax, NI, pension and student loan, by year, month, week or day.
Open calculatorCompound Interest Calculator
Project how your savings grow with compound interest over time.
Open calculatorInflation Calculator
See what a sum of money is worth in today's terms after inflation.
Open calculatorPension IHT Calculator
Calculate IHT on your pension pot under the April 2027 rule change.
Open calculatorPension guides
3Guide
Pension Annual Allowance Guide
The £60,000 limit, tapered allowance for high earners and carry-forward rules explained.
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Guide
How Pension Salary Sacrifice Works
Why salary sacrifice beats net pay and relief at source, and how to calculate your savings.
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Guide
Pension Inheritance Tax 2027
From April 2027, unused pension pots enter your estate for IHT. Find out who's affected and how to plan.
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Pensions in 2026/27
Pension planning in 2026/27
How much should you save?
Auto-enrolment means most employees are already saving into a workplace pension, but the minimum total contribution of 8% of qualifying earnings is unlikely to provide a comfortable retirement income on its own. A common rule of thumb is to save half your age as a percentage of salary: start at 30, aim for 15%.
The annual allowance for 2026/27 is £60,000 (or 100% of earnings if lower). High earners with adjusted income above £260,000 face a tapered allowance, reducing to as little as £10,000. Unused allowances from the previous three tax years can be carried forward.
Salary sacrifice: the most tax-efficient route
Salary sacrifice reduces your contractual gross pay before tax is calculated, saving income tax at your marginal rate and National Insurance at 8% (or 2% above £50,270). Your employer saves 15% employer NI on the sacrificed amount, many pass some or all of this back into your pension pot.
For a higher-rate taxpayer, a £100 pension contribution via salary sacrifice costs only around £58 in reduced take-home pay. For basic-rate taxpayers the effective cost is around £68.
| Key number | 2026/27 figure |
|---|---|
| Annual allowance | £60,000 |
| Tapered allowance (min, high earners) | £10,000 |
| Full new State Pension | £11,973 / year |
| NI years for full State Pension | 35 years |
| State Pension age | 66 (rising to 67) |
| Minimum pension access age | 55 (rising to 57 in 2028) |
Common pension questions
When can I access my pension?
The minimum pension access age is currently 55, rising to 57 in April 2028. This applies to personal and workplace DC pensions. DB pensions have their own normal pension age set by the scheme rules. The State Pension is separate and is paid from age 66 (rising to 67 between 2026 and 2028), regardless of when you retire.
How much tax-free cash can I take?
Most DC pension savers can take 25% of their pension pot as a tax-free lump sum (PCLS). This is capped at £268,275 for most people (the Lump Sum Allowance introduced in April 2024). Any further withdrawals are taxed as income at your marginal rate. You don't have to take the lump sum all at once; flexible drawdown lets you take it in stages.
What happens to my pension when I die?
If you die before age 75, your unused DC pension pot can usually be passed to nominated beneficiaries completely tax-free. After age 75, beneficiaries pay income tax on withdrawals at their own marginal rate. From April 2027, unused pensions will also count towards your estate for Inheritance Tax purposes. Make sure your pension provider has an up-to-date nomination of beneficiaries form.
Can I have more than one pension?
Yes, there's no limit on how many pension pots you can hold. Many people accumulate multiple workplace pensions from different employers. You can consolidate old pots into a single SIPP, which can make them easier to manage and potentially reduce fees. Always check for any valuable guarantees (like a guaranteed annuity rate) before transferring, as these can be lost on transfer.
What is the tapered annual allowance?
High earners with "adjusted income" above £260,000 (income plus employer pension contributions) have their annual allowance reduced by £1 for every £2 of adjusted income above that threshold, down to a minimum of £10,000. For example, someone with £300,000 of adjusted income has an allowance of £40,000. Your pension administrator or an IFA can help calculate your tapered allowance if you're near the threshold.