If you reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016

You can get the State Pension you’ve deferred as either: increased regular payments (known as ‘extra State Pension’) a one-off lump sum payment You cannot get both increased regular payments and a lump sum (unless you reached State Pension age and deferred before 2005). When you claim your State Pension, you’ll get a letter asking how you want to get your deferred pension. You’ll have 3 months from the date on the letter to decide. Get increased regular payments You can get your deferred pension as an extra payment on top of your regular payment. You must defer your State Pension for at least 5 weeks. For every 5 weeks you defer, you’ll get 1% of that amount added to your regular payment for life. This works out as just under 10.4% for every 52 weeks (12 months) you defer. Example You get £176.45 a week (the full basic State Pension ). By deferring for 52 weeks, you’ll get an extra £18.35 a week (10.4% of £176.45). Get a one-off payment You must defer your State Pension for at least 12 months to get a one-off ‘lump sum’ payment. The amount you get will include interest of 2% above the Bank of England base rate. Claim your deferred State Pension Claim a deferred basic State Pension . There’s a different way to claim if: you live abroad , including in the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man you live in Northern Ireland Get help Contact the State Pension claim line if you need help.

You cannot build up extra State Pension during any period you get: Income Support Pension Credit Employment and Support Allowance (income-related) Jobseeker’s Allowance (income-based) Universal Credit Carer’s Allowance Carer Support Payment Incapacity Benefit Severe Disablement Allowance Widow’s Pension Widowed Parent’s Allowance Unemployability Supplement You cannot build up extra State Pension during any period your partner gets: Income Support Pension Credit Universal Credit Employment and Support Allowance (income-related) Jobseeker’s Allowance (income-related) You must tell the Pension Service if you’re on benefits and you want to defer. You will need to defer for a minimum amount of time before your State Pension will start to increase. This will either be 9 or 5 weeks, depending on when you reach State Pension age . Time when you (or your partner) get these benefits does not count towards that time. Increased regular payments Taking your extra State Pension as increased regular payments could reduce the amount you get from: Income Support Pension Credit Universal Credit Employment and Support Allowance (income-related) Jobseeker’s Allowance (income-related) Housing Benefit Council Tax Reduction If you reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016 Your Universal Credit payments may be reduced if you choose to take your extra State Pension as a lump sum. Winter Fuel Payment You need to claim Winter Fuel Payment if you’ve deferred your State Pension. You only need to do this once. Get help Contact Jobcentre Plus if you need help to understand how your benefits could be affected.

If you move to any of the countries in this list, the rules for deferring are the same as in the UK: European Economic Area ( EEA ) countries Switzerland a country that the UK has a social security agreement with (except Canada or New Zealand) If you move to a country that is not in the list, the extra payment you get will stay the same. It will not go up or down over time. If you move to a country that is not in the list, your extra payment will be based on the State Pension you’re owed at whichever is later of: the date you reach State Pension age the date you move abroad Contact the International Pension Centre if you need help working out what you could get.

Inheriting a deferred State Pension

You can usually inherit your partner’s extra State Pension if all of the following apply: your partner reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016 you were married to, or in a civil partnership with, your partner when they died your partner had deferred their State Pension or was claiming their deferred State Pension when they died you did not remarry or form a new civil partnership before you reached State Pension age If your partner died before 6 April 2010, one of the following must also apply: you were over State Pension age when your partner died you were under State Pension age when your partner died, you’re a woman and your deceased partner was your husband You can only receive any extra State Pension you’ve inherited once you’ve reached State Pension age . If your partner died before claiming their State Pension How you inherit your partner’s extra State Pension depends on how long they deferred their pension for. A year or more If your partner deferred their State Pension by a year or more, you can usually choose to inherit it as a lump sum or as regular payments. You’ll get a letter with the options you can choose from. Between 5 weeks and a year If your partner deferred their State Pension by between 5 weeks and a year, you’ll inherit it as regular payments. You’ll get these payments with your own State Pension. Less than 5 weeks If your partner deferred their State Pension by less than 5 weeks, their State Pension payments for those weeks will become part their estate (their total property, money and possessions). If your partner was getting their extra State Pension before they died You’ll inherit your partner’s extra State Pension as extra regular payments. You’ll get these payments with your own State Pension.

Defer (delay) your State Pension

How it works

If you do not claim your State Pension at State Pension age, it automatically defers. You do not have to do anything.

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

When you claim your State Pension, you can usually get the State Pension you’ve deferred as:

a one-off payment
increased regular payments (known as ‘extra State Pension’)

Any extra payments you get from deferring could be taxed.

What you’ll get depends on when you reach State Pension age.

State Pension age

You reach State Pension age on or after 6 April 2016 if either:

you’re a man born on or after 6 April 1951
you’re a woman born on or after 6 April 1953

You reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016 if either:

you’re a man born before 6 April 1951
you’re a woman born before 6 April 1953

If you get benefits

You cannot build up deferred State Pension while you or your partner are getting certain benefits.

If you spent time in prison

You cannot build up deferred State Pension for any time you’ve spent in prison.

View a printable version of the whole guide

Step 1 Check when you can retire
and Check how much pension you could get
1. Find out how much State Pension you could get (your forecast)
You may also be paying into a:
- workplace pension
- personal pension
1. Find out if you’ll pay tax on your pension
2. Find contact details for a lost pension
Step 2 Increase your pension
You might be able to increase the amount you get if you delay your pension.
1. Find out about delaying your pension
You might be able to pay voluntary contributions to fill in gaps in your National Insurance record (such as, from when you were not working or claiming benefits).
1. Check if you can pay voluntary National Insurance contributions
For advice about increasing your workplace or private pension, speak to a financial adviser.
1. Find a financial adviser through Unbiased
Step 3 Check what other financial support you could get
Check what financial help you could get if you:
You can also get free bus travel if you:
- apply for a bus pass
Step 4 Decide when to retire
1. Get advice on planning your pension and deciding when to retire

Defer (delay) your State Pension

How it works

State Pension age

If you get benefits

If you spent time in prison

Step 1 Check when you can retire

and Check how much pension you could get

Step 2 Increase your pension

Step 3 Check what other financial support you could get

Step 4 Decide when to retire

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Defer (delay) your State Pension

How it works

State Pension age

If you get benefits

If you spent time in prison

This page is Part of Plan your retirement income: step by step

Step 1: Check when you can retire

and Check how much pension you could get

Step 2: Increase your pension

Step 3: Check what other financial support you could get

Step 4: Decide when to retire

Is this page useful?

Help us improve GOV.UK

Help us improve GOV.UK

Step 1 Check when you can retire

Step 2 Increase your pension

Step 3 Check what other financial support you could get

Step 4 Decide when to retire