# Upratelock report sample-a

**You're on track for £241.30/week in today's terms (100% of the full rate). Over 15 years of drawing from 2034/35, the triple lock pays £343,850; CPI only would pay £254,239 (−£89,611).**

Rules: 2026/27 full new State Pension £241.30/wk (£12,547.60/yr); Class 3 £18.40/wk; 10-year minimum, 35 years for full; deferral +1% per 9 weeks.

## Inputs
- Qualifying years now 32; expected future years 0; planned Class 3 years 3
- Years to State Pension age 8 (2034/35); horizon 15 years of drawing; deferral 0 weeks
- Earnings 4%/yr, CPI 2%/yr; start £241.30/wk; adjusted-lock anchor 2030/31

## Uprating policies
| Policy | Full rate at SPA | Your weekly in 2048/49 | Today's money | Cumulative over 15y | vs triple lock |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Triple lock | £330.24 | £571.86 | £369.90 | £343,850 | £0 |
| Earnings link only | £330.24 | £571.86 | £369.90 | £343,850 | £0 |
| CPI only | £282.72 | £373.04 | £241.30 | £254,239 | −£89,611 |
| Flat 2.5% a year | £294.00 | £415.42 | £268.71 | £274,144 | −£69,706 |
| Adjusted lock | £325.82 | £563.73 | £364.64 | £338,991 | −£4,859 |

Worst vs triple lock: **CPI only** (−£89,611). Best: **Triple lock** (nothing beats the triple lock on these paths).

## NI gap-fill (Class 3)
- Buying the NI years pays back. Cost £2,870.40 for 3 year(s) (3 × 52 × £18.40).
- Entitlement 0.9143 → 1 of full rate (32 → 35 years).
- Gain at SPA: £28.31/wk triple lock; payback 1.91 yrs (triple lock), 2.25 yrs (CPI only).

## Deferral
- Claiming on time (no deferral boost).

## Shock test (8% CPI / 5% earnings at April 2027 uprating)
- Triple lock: £593.86/wk at end, £357,075 cumulative
- Earnings link only: £577.36/wk at end, £347,156 cumulative
- CPI only: £394.99/wk at end, £269,195 cumulative
- Flat 2.5% a year: £415.42/wk at end, £274,144 cumulative
- Adjusted lock: £585.41/wk at end, £352,029 cumulative

## Next steps
1. This week — verify the inputs: check your official forecast at gov.uk/check-state-pension (Government Gateway / GOV.UK One Login) and confirm the qualifying-years count matches the 32 you entered — note any "starting amount" if you were contracted out before 2016, which can sit above or below the pro-rata figure used here. Then download your NI record (gov.uk/check-national-insurance-record), list each gap year by tax year, and mark which fall inside the last 6 tax years — normally only those can still be bought, so confirm each year's payment deadline before the April uprating.
2. Buy the 3 year(s): £2,870.40 via Class 3 (£18.40/wk × 52 each) adds about £28.31/week at State Pension age and pays back in ~1.91 years of drawing under the triple lock (2.25 years even under CPI-only). Call the Future Pension Centre (0800 731 0175) first to confirm each year will actually count, then pay the year with the oldest deadline first. Before paying, check whether the 8 year(s) you have left to State Pension age will fill the gap for free: up to 3 of the 3 year(s) could come from employment (earnings above the Lower Earnings Limit, £129/wk in 2026/27) or NI credits instead — buy only the shortfall, and re-run with futureNiYears set to the years you expect to earn.
3. Stress-test the uprating risk: under CPI only you'd receive £89,611 less over 15 years than under the triple lock (and £87,881 less in the 8% CPI shock case). Size your private pension / drawdown so you can live with the worst line, not the triple-lock line.
4. Deferral: you are claiming on time. Deferring at least 9 weeks would add 1% per 9 weeks (≈5.8% a year), but the extra only rises with CPI and typically takes 17+ years to break even — re-run with deferWeeks to price it.
5. Diary your State Pension claim: the DWP should write about 2 months before State Pension age (2034/35); claim online at gov.uk/get-state-pension or on 0800 731 7898 if no letter arrives. State Pension age is rising to 67 between 2026 and 2028 — check yours at gov.uk/state-pension-age. Save this report link and re-run it each April after the uprating announcement (Autumn Budget sets the figure; GOV.UK publishes the new weekly rate) — swap your startingWeekly and CPI/earnings assumptions for the actual numbers, and take regulated advice (unbiased.co.uk / MoneyHelper Pension Wise if 50+) before large Class 3 payments.

_Projections, not promises: the State Pension uprating rule is set by Parliament each year. Simplified new State Pension maths (no starting amount/protected payment). Not financial advice. https://upratelock.darren-ee5.workers.dev/r/sample-a_