The latest statistics from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) show that the State Pension currently provides a regular financial income for nearly 12.7 million older people across the country, including more than one million retirees living in Scotland.
This payment is available for those who have reached the UK Government’s eligible retirement age, which is currently 66 for both men and women, and have paid at least 10 years' worth of National Insurance (NI) contributions.
However, many people approaching retirement age may not be aware that to receive the full New State Pension payment of £221.20 each week, they will need around 35 years’ worth of NI contributions.
This is just an average number of years as some people may have been ‘contracted out’ and will need more NI contributions to qualify for the full amount - find out more about this on GOV.UK here.Workplace and private pensions will help bolster the State Pension in retirement, but many people may be relying on the contributory benefit as their only income in retirement, so it’s crucial to be aware of how many years you will need to make NI contributions in order to get the maximum payout.The State Pension age is set to increase to 67 between 2026 and 2028 with a further planned rise to 68 due to take place in the mid-2040’s.If you are worried about how many years you need to work - if retirement is a long way off, or just a few years away - our handy guide below should help you understand how National Insurance contributions affect the amount of State Pension you will be paid.
Read more on dailyrecord.co.uk