Almost 7 million adults in the UK have no idea what their State Pension forecast looks like, according to HMRC. To close that gap, the tax authority is urging people to check their State Pension forecast during Pension Awareness Week using the free HMRC app.
The message is simple: a quick check now can show you how much you might get in retirement and whether there are gaps in your record worth filling. For many people, it takes only a few minutes.
Why is HMRC pushing people to check their State Pension forecast?
HMRC says a large number of adults simply don’t know where they stand. When you don’t know your forecast, you can’t plan properly for retirement, and you may miss the chance to top up gaps in your National Insurance record before they matter.
The campaign is timed to coincide with Pension Awareness Week, a period used to nudge people into looking at their retirement finances. HMRC’s point is that the information is already available to you free of charge, so there’s little reason to stay in the dark.
How do I check my State Pension forecast?
The quickest route HMRC recommends is the HMRC app on your phone. Once you’re signed in, you can view your forecast alongside other tax and National Insurance details.
- Download the HMRC app: available free from your phone’s app store.
- Sign in: use your Government Gateway user ID and password, or set one up if you don’t have one.
- View your forecast: check the estimated amount you could receive and your State Pension age.
You can also check your forecast online through the official service. Full details of the campaign are published by HMRC at gov.uk.
What does the forecast actually show?
Your State Pension forecast gives you an estimate of how much you could receive when you reach State Pension age. It’s based on your National Insurance record so far and shows how your entitlement is building up over your working life.
Because the figure depends on your contributions, checking early gives you time to act. If you spot gaps, you may be able to fill them, though the specific rules on topping up and any deadlines are not detailed in HMRC’s campaign announcement. For that, you should review the guidance on gov.uk.
Who should look at their forecast?
The forecast is relevant to almost any working-age adult who expects to claim the State Pension one day. It’s especially worth checking if:
- You’ve had career breaks: time out of work can leave gaps in your record.
- You’re self-employed: your contribution history may look different from an employee’s.
- You’re approaching retirement: knowing your figure helps you plan your income.
So, if you took several years out to raise children and have never checked your record, a two-minute look at the HMRC app could reveal exactly where you stand and whether action is worthwhile.
Where can I verify this?
This campaign comes directly from HMRC and is published on the official government website. You can read the announcement and find links to the forecast service at gov.uk. Checking through the HMRC app or the official gov.uk service keeps your details secure, and it costs nothing to find out where you stand.
