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Who gets the additional State Pension?

You may be contributing to or receiving credits towards the additional State Pension if you're below State Pension age and you're:

• employed and earning over £5,564 (from any one job)
• looking after children under 12 years old and claiming Child Benefit
• caring for a sick or disabled person for more than 20 hours a week and claiming Carer's Credit
  
• a registered foster carer and claiming Carer's Credit
• receiving certain other benefits due to illness or disability

If you're employed and have a pension then you may be ‘contracted out’ of the additional State Pension. This means you're unlikely to be contributing towards the additional State Pension. Find out more in ‘Contracting out of the additional State Pension’ below.

SERPS and the State Second Pension

The additional State Pension has gone under different names in the past. You used to get additional State Pension through the State Earnings-Related Pension Scheme (SERPS).

When entitlement to the additional pension is calculated, the earnings on which it is based are revalued in line with the growth in average earnings.

See ‘SERPS and the State Second Pension’ to find out more.

• SERPS and the State Second Pension

Inheriting additional State Pension

If your spouse or civil partner dies, you may be able to inherit some of their additional State Pension. See ‘SERPS and the State Second Pension’ to find out how much additional State Pension can be inherited.

• SERPS and the State Second Pension

Contracting out the additional State Pension

If you’re an employee with annual earnings above a certain amount (£5,564 in 2012/13) - you may be able to choose to leave the additional State Pension. You can join a private pension instead. This is called 'contracting out'. It is not possible to leave the basic State Pension.

If you have a company pension, your employer should tell you if it is contracted out.

See the following link to find out more about contracting out of the additional State Pension.

• Contracting out of the additional State Pension

Track down an old pension

If you think you may have an old pension but can't remember the details then the Pension Tracing Service may be able to help.

• Pension Tracing Service - trace a personal or company pension scheme

Who does not get additional State Pension?

You may not become entitled to the additional State Pension based on contributions or credits during periods where one of the following applies to you:

• you're self-employed (because you pay lower National Insurance contributions)
• you're unemployed
• you're in full-time training

You may get credits towards your basic State Pension while you're not working, but you may not receive credits towards the additional State Pension.

In some cases, if you're unable to work because of illness or disability, you may receive credits towards the additional State Pension.

How to claim the additional State Pension

If you're entitled to additional State Pension then you should receive it when you claim your basic State Pension. See ‘Claiming the basic State Pension’ to find out more about how you can claim your State Pension.

When can I claim the additional State Pension?

If you're entitled to additional State Pension then you can claim it when you reach State Pension age. See ‘Calculating your State Pension age’ to find out when your State Pension age is.

You can also choose to take your State Pension later on. See ‘State Pension deferral’ to find out more.

• Claiming the State Pension

• Calculating your State Pension age

• State Pension deferral - taking up your State Pension later

• Call The Pension Service

How additional State Pension is increased

Additional parts of the State Pension rise in line with the increase in prices. These include:

• the State Second Pension (S2P)
• the State Earnings-Related Pension Scheme (SERPS)
• Graduated Retirement Benefit
• Extra State Pension received for deferring or putting off (deferring) your State Pension claim (also called ‘increments’)

Until you reach State Pension age, the State Second Pension or SERPS you have built up will usually increase with the growth in average earnings. This is also known as ‘revaluation’.

Tell The Pension Service about a change in your circumstances

Find out what you need to report, such as a change of address or bank details.

• Report your change of address, bank details or other circumstances to The Pension Service

More useful links

• Pensions - an overview

• Pensions planning when you're starting out