Pension Calculator — How Much Do You Need to Retire?
Last updated: 09 September 2026 · 2026/27 UK tax year
Is your pension on track? Enter your current pot, age, and target income. See your projected gap and the exact monthly saving needed to fix it.
Your Pension Details
Include both your contribution and your employer's contribution.
✅ You are on track!
Projected Pot at 68
£507,381
Estimated Annual Income
£32,843
Includes £12,548 from the full State Pension and £20,295 from your private pot (using the 4% withdrawal rule).
Projected Pot Growth
How Much Do I Need in My Pension to Retire in the UK?
Working out how much you need to retire used to be guesswork, but the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association (PLSA) now publishes official Retirement Living Standards based on real-world data. These standards tell you exactly how much annual income a single person needs in 2026 to achieve three different types of retirement lifestyles:
Minimum Retirement Standard (£13,900/yr)
Covers all your basic needs, with some left over for fun. You could afford a UK holiday once a year, eat out about once a month, and do some affordable leisure activities about twice a week.
Moderate Retirement Standard (£31,300/yr)
Provides more financial security and flexibility. You could afford one foreign holiday a year and eat out a few times a month. You'd have the opportunity to do more of the things you want to do.
Comfortable Retirement Standard (£43,100/yr)
Allows you to be more spontaneous with your money. You could have a subscription to a streaming service, regular beauty treatments, and two foreign holidays a year.
How the State Pension Affects Your Target Pot
The good news is that you don't need to generate all of that income yourself. The new full State Pension for 2026/27 provides £12,547.60 a year. This means that if your goal is a Minimum retirement (£13,900), the government is already providing almost all of it. However, to reach the Moderate or Comfortable tiers, you will need a substantial private pot to bridge the gap. You can boost this pot efficiently by using salary sacrifice. Use our Salary Sacrifice Calculator to see how much tax you can save by paying more into your pension.
The 4% Withdrawal Rule Explained
Our calculator uses the famous "4% Rule" to estimate how much income your pot will generate. This financial rule of thumb suggests that if you withdraw 4% of your initial retirement pot every year, adjusting for inflation, your money should easily last for a 30-year retirement without running out. For example, if you manage to save a £100,000 pot, you can safely withdraw £4,000 per year from it. If you are a higher earner currently paying Self Assessment payments on account, making large pension contributions is the best way to rapidly grow this pot while slashing your tax bill.
How Much Should I Have Saved by Age 40, 50, 55?
Are you behind? A common financial benchmark is that you should aim to have 1x your annual salary saved in your pension by age 30. By age 40, you should aim for 3x your salary. By age 50, the target is 6x your salary. If you are falling behind, you should check your budget using our Take-Home Pay Calculator to see exactly how much extra cash you can afford to funnel into your pension each month.
Retirement Planning