State pension forecast and COPE estimate, confusion!

rocketron59

Hi,

Can anyone enlighten me about the relationship between the state pension and the dreaded COPE? the more I read up on this the more confused I get.

I'm looking to retire shortly so I have gone on line at gov.uk and got a state pension forcast which informs me I can get £185.15 a week from 2025.
NI records show that I have 47 years of full contributions with no gaps in my record.

Great I'm thinking only to be I'm informed that I contracted out of SERPS and have a COPE estimate of over £75 a week!

So the question is, will I get the £185.15 a week pension currently forcast or are the nice people at gov.uk going to deduct £75 a week from my pension?

I presume that as I have 47 years of full contributions I cannot make any additional voluntary contributions if needed.

Cheers

TadleyBaggie

It states clearly on the forecast that the COPE amount in no way affects your state pension forecast. It was used once in 2016 to determine your starting figure going forward 

molerat

Does your forecast only show one amount followed by a statement that you cannot improve your forecast ?

If so, what you see is what you will get.

If not you need to do what is noted against those other amounts to reach that £185.15.

rocketron59

Thank you TadleyBaggie,
much appreciated.

rocketron59

molerat said:

Does your forecast only show one amount followed by a statement that you cannot improve your forecast ?

If so, what you see is what you will get.

If not you need to do what is noted against those other amounts to reach that £185.15.

Hi molerat,
Forecast states the weekly ammount is the most I can get,
I was just concerned that they would deduct the COPE ammount from my state pension but as TadleyBaggie pointed out this should not be the case.

Thank you for your help.

molerat

rocketron59 said:

molerat said:

Does your forecast only show one amount followed by a statement that you cannot improve your forecast ?

If so, what you see is what you will get.

If not you need to do what is noted against those other amounts to reach that £185.15.

Hi molerat,
Forecast states the weekly ammount is the most I can get,
I was just concerned that they would deduct the COPE ammount from my state pension but as TadleyBaggie pointed out this should not be the case.

Thank you for your help.

Many people just read that big green box and switch off not bothering to read what is written below it and not realising that is not what they are going to get unless they do what the text below tell them to.  They only question it if that big green box does not state £185.15.