Revealed: Most Googled pension queries
Collaborative Post
Getting to retirement can be a beautiful thing. You have the opportunity to enjoy the fruits of your labour, spend more time with family and loved ones, see your children and grandchildren grow, or just kick your feet up and enjoy some rest – that’s if you’ve planned your retirement and pension well.
For others, it can be a bit more stressful, especially if you haven’t kept up with details such as how much you can expect to receive and when your payments begin. It also doesn’t help that the government is constantly making changes to the State Pension, which can be confusing to keep track of.
Many people turn to the internet for help on things they’re unclear about, and experts at income-tax.co.uk have analysed the top 10 most Googled pension queries in the UK. We’ve taken the liberty of answering them so that you have all the information you need in one place.
Without further ado, let’s dive in.
What are the 10 most searched pension queries on Google?
The most searched pension query on Google is ‘How much is State Pension?, with an average of 28,000 searches each month. In second place is ‘What is Pension Credit?’ with 8,600 searches, followed closely by ‘When will I get my State Pension?’ with 6,600 searches. In fourth and fifth place are ‘How much is State Pension for a couple?’ and How much is Pension Credit a week?’ with 5,200 and 3,700 searches, respectively.
The full list of search queries can be found in the table below.
| Query | Average monthly search volume |
| How much is State Pension? | 28,000 |
| What is Pension Credit? | 8,600 |
| When will I get my State Pension? | 6,600 |
| How much is State Pension for a couple? | 5,200 |
| How much is Pension Credit a week? | 3,700 |
| What is State Pension? | 3,200 |
| Who is eligible for Pension Credit UK? | 3,100 |
| How much pension do I need? | 2,400 |
| How much State Pension will I get if I have never worked? | 2,200 |
| What is State Pension age? | 2,100 |
How much is State Pension?
In the current tax year (2022/23), the full State Pension is £185.15 per week. This equates to exactly £9,627.80 in annual income.
However, the amount of money you receive will depend on the number of qualifying years you have, ie the total number of years you have made National Insurance contributions. To receive the full State Pension, you must have a total of at least 35 qualifying years.
Suppose you have fewer qualifying years than that. In that case, your weekly State Pension payments will be calculated using the following formula: £185.15 x (qualifying years/35).
If you reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016, you would fall under the basic State Pension scheme. Under this scheme, you will receive £141.85 per week, resulting in an annual income of £7,376.20
What is Pension Credit?
Pension Credit is a government benefit that provides additional funds to retired people who are currently on a low income. In essence, it is a top-up for those who need help with living costs. There are two types of Pension Credit – Guarantee Credit and Savings Credit – with most people typically only eligible for one of the two.
Guarantee Credit is a weekly top-up that increases your payments to a minimum amount and is available to people reaching State Pension age now. On the other hand, Savings Credit is a top-up for those who have money allocated in savings or workplace and private pension schemes. It is only available to those who fall under the basic State Pension, ie who reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016.
Receiving Pension Credit also opens up the possibility of qualifying for other benefits such as housing benefits, Council Tax discount, and a free TV licence.
When will I get my State Pension?
Men and women will begin receiving State Pension payments at the age of 66 years old. Having said that, this age does not apply to everyone. Some people will get their State Pension at a later age – it depends entirely on your date of birth.
For example, if you are born on or after 6 March 1961, you will reach State Pension age when you are 67 years old. If you are born on or after 6 April 1978, you will reach State Pension age at 68. And for those who are born in the 1990s and 2000s, the State Pension age will likely rise to the 70s by the time you’re eligible.
Luckily, you don’t have to play the guessing game. The government website has a State Pension age calculator that will tell you the exact month and year you will be eligible to claim State Pension. The calculator also has a forecast feature that can provide useful information, such as how much you will receive at your current trajectory.
How much is State Pension for a couple?
A couple where both individuals have enough qualifying years to receive the full State Pension can expect to get a total of £370.30 per week (=£185.15 x 2). This equates to £19,255.60 per year.
In the past, there used to be special arrangements for couples. However, that is no longer the case, and each individual must build their own State Pension via their National Insurance contributions. Additionally, an individual cannot claim on their spouse’s State Pension payments, and if their spouse dies, the State Pension payments will discontinue.
How much is Pension Credit a week?
For the current tax year (2022/23), Pension Credit will top your weekly income up to £182.60 for individuals and £278.70 for couples. This means that the exact amount you receive depends on how far away your weekly income is from those totals. These top-ups fall under Guarantee Credit.
If you are eligible to receive Savings Credit, you will receive a maximum weekly top-up of £14.48 per week for individuals and £16.20 for couples.
You may be eligible for additional income if you have a severe disability, care for an adult, or are responsible for young children. More details can be found on the government website.
What is State Pension?
State Pension is a government-backed income source that’s provided to individuals who have reached State Pension age. It is meant to cover the costs of basic needs such as shelter, food, and bills. It is the only guaranteed income source provided in retirement by the UK government and can make up a large percentage of your retirement income. However, many people supplement this income with savings, investments, workplace pensions, and private pensions to increase their retirement funds and spending capability.
Who is eligible for Pension Credit UK?
You must satisfy the following criteria to be eligible for Pension Credit:
- You currently live in the United Kingdom
- You have reached State Pension age
- Your weekly income is below the £182.60 threshold if you are single and below £278.70 if you are a couple*
The above criteria are applicable to those applying for Guarantee Credit. For those applying for Savings Credit, there is a slightly more stringent criterion:
- Fall under the basic State Pension scheme
- Have an income that exceeds £158.47 if you are single and £251.70 if you are in a couple
- Only one person from a couple must satisfy all the above criteria to be eligible for Savings Credit.
The government also has a convenient Pension Credit calculator, which you can use to determine if you are eligible.
*A couple includes two people who are living together, regardless if they are/are not in a marriage/civil relationship. Additionally, both individuals in a couple must have reached State Pension age to be eligible.
How much pension do I need?
It’s best to try and get the full State Pension amount each week. But, if you can cover your retirement expenses through other sources of income, you may find that you don’t need State Pension at all.
Your total retirement expenses will vary depending on the lifestyle you want to live, your spending habits, and other commitments such as mortgage/rent, bills, and health insurance. Approximate how high that number is (or will be) and see if you are on track to cover them with your State Pension and other income sources.
How much State Pension will I get if I have never worked?
You need at least 10 qualifying years on your National Insurance record to receive State Pension, something which you can build even if you have never worked. For instance, you can build up qualifying years if you received National Insurance credits because you were either unemployed, sick or disabled, or a carer. Alternatively, if you’ve never worked but made voluntary National Insurance contributions for 10 years, you can still be eligible for State Pension.
How much you receive will depend on the total number of qualifying years. It can be calculated using the following formula: £185.15 x (qualifying years / 35)
What is State Pension age?
The current State Pension age is 66. For those born on or after 6 March 1961, the State Pension age is 67, and for those born on or after 6 April 1978, the State Pension age is 68
