Early retirement
Last updated December 2003
For information and services available in planning for retirement contact The Pension Service.
If you take early retirement, you cannot get State Pension until you reach State Pension age, but you can get a forecast of how much Retirement Pension you can expect to get. To ask for a forecast see the Pension Forecast information or contact The Pension Service, or write to:
Retirement Pension Forecasting Team
Toom TB001
Tyneview Park
Whitley Road
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE98 1BA
Phone 0845 3000 168 (textphone 0845 3000 169)
You will not have to pay NI contributions unless you start work again before State Pension age.
You may need to pay extra contributions to make sure you get your full Basic Retirement Pension.
If you are man aged 60 or over who does not have to pay NI contributions, you will usually get NI credits until State Pension age. These start from the tax year including your 60th birthday.
If you stop work before you reach state pension age, you may be able to get Jobseeker's Allowance.
More information
For information on Pension Credit visit www.thepensionservice.gov.uk/pensioncredit/home.asp
Apply for a Pension Forecast online.
Other help
- State Pension
- Occupational pensions
- Personal pensions
- Attendance Allowance (This link takes you to the Directgov website)
- Income Support
- Jobseeker's Allowance
Remember that this website is only a general guide to benefits and schemes and is not a full and authoritative statement of the law. We have made every effort to ensure that the information on this website is correct at the date shown at the top of this page. However, changes in the law may make the website become gradually less accurate.