# Upratelock report sample-d

**You're on track for £220.62/week in today's terms (91.4% of the full rate). Over 25 years of drawing from 2029/30, the triple lock pays £477,080; CPI only would pay £417,081 (−£59,999).**

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 28; expected future years 0; planned Class 3 years 4
- Years to State Pension age 3 (2029/30); horizon 25 years of drawing; deferral 0 weeks
- Earnings 3%/yr, CPI 2%/yr, earnings path 3,2.5,2.5, CPI path 7,4,2; start £241.30/wk; adjusted-lock anchor 2030/31

## Uprating policies
| Policy | Full rate at SPA | Your weekly in 2053/54 | Today's money | Cumulative over 25y | vs triple lock |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Triple lock | £275.23 | £511.53 | £280.19 | £477,080 | £0 |
| Earnings link only | £261.12 | £485.31 | £265.83 | £452,622 | −£24,459 |
| CPI only | £273.89 | £402.77 | £220.62 | £417,081 | −£59,999 |
| Flat 2.5% a year | £259.85 | £429.72 | £235.38 | £421,991 | −£55,089 |
| Adjusted lock | £275.23 | £509.06 | £278.84 | £474,972 | −£2,108 |

Worst vs triple lock: **CPI only** (−£59,999). Best: **Triple lock** (nothing beats the triple lock on these paths).

## NI gap-fill (Class 3)
- Buying the NI years pays back. Cost £3,827.20 for 4 year(s) (4 × 52 × £18.40).
- Entitlement 0.8 → 0.9143 of full rate (28 → 32 years).
- Gain at SPA: £31.46/wk triple lock; payback 2.29 yrs (triple lock), 2.32 yrs (CPI only).

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

## Shock test (8% CPI / 5% earnings at April 2027 uprating)
- Triple lock: £516.31/wk at end, £481,539 cumulative
- Earnings link only: £494.73/wk at end, £461,411 cumulative
- CPI only: £406.54/wk at end, £420,979 cumulative
- Flat 2.5% a year: £429.72/wk at end, £421,991 cumulative
- Adjusted lock: £513.82/wk at end, £479,411 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 28 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 4 year(s): £3,827.20 via Class 3 (£18.40/wk × 52 each) adds about £31.46/week at State Pension age and pays back in ~2.29 years of drawing under the triple lock (2.32 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 3 year(s) you have left to State Pension age will fill the gap for free: up to 3 of the 4 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 £59,999 less over 25 years than under the triple lock (and £60,560 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 (2029/30); 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-d_