Use this when…
- You have just started a job and want to see the effect of employer pension payments.
- You are deciding whether to increase your monthly pension saving.
- You want to compare retiring at 60, 65 or later under different assumed returns.
UNITED KINGDOM · RETIREMENT PLANNING
How large might your pension pot be?
Project your defined-contribution workplace or personal pension savings over time. Add your own and employer contributions and compare the pot in future pounds with today's spending power.
NEW TO THIS CALCULATOR?
UK pension pot: see what today's saving could mean at retirement
Wondering whether your workplace pension could be enough when you stop working? This calculator gives a possible future pot, not a guaranteed monthly pension or a State Pension entitlement.
Start with these numbers
- 1. Enter your age now and the age when you want to look at the pot.
- 2. Add the money already in your pension and how much actually enters the pot each month, including employer payments.
- 3. Try a cautious investment growth percentage and inflation assumption. They are your 'what-if' numbers, not promises.
What the result means
The largest figure is an estimated pot in future pounds. The smaller purchasing-power figure answers what that future money might be worth in today's prices. Neither is the State Pension or a guaranteed monthly payment.
Try this example
Try age 35 to 65, £20,000 already saved, £300 from you and £150 from your employer each month. First set growth to 0%, then 5%, keeping inflation unchanged.
Watch out for this mistake Do not enter your State Pension as current investment savings. Do not add tax relief twice if it is already part of the amount deposited.
More detailed explanations appear below the calculator ↓
How to estimate a UK private pension pot
This is an investment-pot projection, NOT a UK State Pension forecast, annuity quote or tax-free lump-sum calculation. Workplace pension contributions and tax relief can vary by scheme, earnings basis and tax status. Returns are not guaranteed; ignores fees, taxes, investment losses, access-age rules and drawdown risk.
Illustrative pension pot at retirement
Illustrative pension pot at retirement£453,358Equivalent value in today's pounds: £250,286
Where your pension pot could come from
Starting pot plus contributions£182,000
Assumed investment growth£271,358
Years to retirement30
Starting pot plus contributionsAssumed investment growth
Equivalent value in today's pounds£250,286
4% illustration ÷ 12 (not a guaranteed income): £1,511 · This is NOT a guaranteed pension income, annuity quote or safe withdrawal recommendation.
STEP BY STEP
How to estimate a UK private pension pot
- 01
Add the present value of your defined-contribution workplace pensions, SIPPs or other pots that you want to model. Do not include an estimated State Pension entitlement.
- 02
Enter monthly amounts going INTO your pension, including any tax relief credited, and the actual employer contribution. These are contributions to the pot, not necessarily your after-tax payslip deductions.
- 03
Try more than one annual return and inflation scenario. A rising nominal pot can still have lower purchasing power after many years of inflation.
- 04
Compare future pounds with an estimate of today's purchasing power. For your State Pension, use GOV.UK's official personal forecast rather than applying 35 qualifying years to everyone.
Example: a £20,000 current pension pot, £300 personal plus £150 employer deposited monthly, ages 35 to 65, can be explored under different growth and inflation rates. State Pension is a separate benefit.
Important assumptions
This is an investment-pot projection, NOT a UK State Pension forecast, annuity quote or tax-free lump-sum calculation. Workplace pension contributions and tax relief can vary by scheme, earnings basis and tax status. Returns are not guaranteed; ignores fees, taxes, investment losses, access-age rules and drawdown risk.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the calculator not estimate the new State Pension?
Your NI record before and after April 2016, qualifying years and transitional rules can alter the amount. GOV.UK provides an account-based personal forecast.
Should I include tax relief in monthly contributions?
Enter the amount actually credited to the pension pot, taking the arrangement's tax relief method into account to avoid double counting.
Is the 4% illustration a safe drawdown?
No. It is simply 4% of the calculated pot divided by 12, and it is not an annuity guarantee or personal withdrawal advice.
Official pension information
Use GOV.UK for State Pension forecasts and your provider for workplace pension details.
Other retirement tools
IN-DEPTH CALCULATOR GUIDE
UK pension pot: see what today's saving could mean at retirement
Wondering whether your workplace pension could be enough when you stop working? This calculator gives a possible future pot, not a guaranteed monthly pension or a State Pension entitlement.
01
What is a pension pot, and when is this calculator helpful?
A workplace defined-contribution pension or personal pension is money invested for your retirement. You and often your employer contribute while you work. The invested balance may grow or fall; its eventual size depends on deposits, investment performance, charges and withdrawals.
This calculator helps with broad questions such as 'Does saving an extra £50 each month make a difference?' or 'What if I retire five years later?' It cannot tell you what an annuity provider will offer, or whether you meet the legal pension access age.
02
How to enter amounts without double counting
Your starting pot should be a current balance from a pension statement. If you have several defined-contribution plans, combine only the balances you want in this illustration. Do not include projected State Pension payments or defined-benefit promises as if they were account balances.
The personal monthly entry is the actual total credited to the pot. For a scheme using tax relief, your payslip contribution and what lands in the pension may differ. Enter employer deposits separately, and avoid counting the same workplace payment in both fields.
03
What future pounds and today's-money values mean
The future pot is a numerical projection based on smooth monthly investment growth. For a 30-year horizon, even a small change in assumed return can lead to a large gap between outcomes. Real investments do not rise at a fixed rate and can be lower than amounts paid in.
Inflation is not a fee taken out of the pot. It is used to show today's purchasing-power equivalent. A pot might be larger in pounds after decades yet buy less than an unadjusted nominal number suggests. Run more than one growth and inflation combination.
04
Your next step before making a pension decision
Compare the scenario with your pension provider's statement, scheme charges, tax relief method and employer matching policy. Pension tax allowances, withdrawal rules and access ages can affect what you can actually contribute or take out.
Check your personal State Pension forecast on GOV.UK separately. The 4%-of-pot display is only arithmetic and should not be interpreted as a sustainable withdrawal rate, guaranteed pension salary or financial advice.
Educational planning only. Verify relevant official records and lender or tax documents before making decisions.