Retired Civil Servant - State Pension

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Good afternoon,
I joined the Civil Service in 1978, and retired in April 2016 (37.5 years). I have not had any employment since. My state pension forecast is £143.96 per week. It says this can be increased to a maximum of £185.15 per week. I understand my state pension is lower than it could be due to civil servants paying NI at a lower rate. Is that correct? If it is then I can't complain. I am very lucky to get the CS pension that I do. Incidentally, my state pension is due to start in 2026.
However, is there anything I can do to increase my projected state pension. Apart from work that is! Or is it not possible to increase my state pension because of all the years I paid NI were at the lower rate?
Grateful for any advice.
I joined the Civil Service in 1978, and retired in April 2016 (37.5 years). I have not had any employment since. My state pension forecast is £143.96 per week. It says this can be increased to a maximum of £185.15 per week. I understand my state pension is lower than it could be due to civil servants paying NI at a lower rate. Is that correct? If it is then I can't complain. I am very lucky to get the CS pension that I do. Incidentally, my state pension is due to start in 2026.
However, is there anything I can do to increase my projected state pension. Apart from work that is! Or is it not possible to increase my state pension because of all the years I paid NI were at the lower rate?
Grateful for any advice.
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At 6/4/16 two calculations were done to establish your "starting amount" for NSP.
It was the higher of
Old Rules
NI years/30 (max) x £119.30 (Full Basic) + (Additional State Pension - Deduction for Contracting Out).
New Rules
NI years/35 (max) x £155.65 (Full NSP) - Contracted Out Pension Equivalent.
Your COPE (will be shown on your forecast) was used once only in the above calculation.
In your case the higher amount would almost certainly have been given by the old rules calculation.
Your "starting amount" has been index linked under the "triple/double lock" since you ceased paying NI.
Your SA was under a full NSP and you had a number of years before you reached the tax year before the one in which you would reach SPA.
If you had continued to work post 6 April 2016 and to pay (or be credited with) NI, these further qualifying years would have improved your state pension up to (but not in excess of) a full NSP.
As you retired from employment, you could choose to make voluntary contributions for post 6/4/2016 to improve your pension.
Have a look at the chart in the booklet (produced to coincide with introduction of NSP) on p6 here
https://www.dpf.org.uk/explorer/files/TOPPING-UP-YOUR-STATE-PENSION-GUIDE.pdf
You need eight years to reach full NSP. You should check as above but probably 16/17 to 22/23 and then 23/24?
There is also the possibility that instead of paying for it you could be entitled to credits if you are caring for someone on Attendance Allowance/ Disability Living Allowance or caring for a grandchild under 12 years of age. Worth checking eligibility if so.
It is clear it makes financial sense to make voluntary payments to buy an additional eight years.
Can I just clarify a couple of things. I understand my pension will increase by £275 per year for each year I purchase. But as I will be paying income tax on my pension (at 20%) the net gain will be approx £220. Is that correct?
Also, presumably it makes sense to buy these additional years at the last possible moment. Which in my case will be early 2026. However, I understand the rules are changing on 31 July this year. In which case I will need to buy 2 additional years before then, and an additional 6 years in early 2026. Does that sound sensible?
As always, grateful for any advice.
You will get £275 (£220 after basic rate tax is factored in) for one year.
The next year will be ~£302 (£242 after tax) as the triple lock will be applied.
But you have still only paid the original £824, or whatever it turns out to be 😊