A detailed guide to State Pensions for advisers and others

14
Working life
From the start of the tax year in which a person becomes 16 to the end of the tax
year before the one in which they reach their State Pension age, or in which they die,
if they die before reaching that age, is what we call the working life. This is the period
over which a person can meet the contribution conditions for basic State Pension.
Currently, men have a working life of 49 years and women have a working life of 44
years. This difference reflects the different State Pension ages for men and women.
[SSCBA 1992 Sch 3 Para 5(8)]
State Pension age for women will increase from 2010, and for both men and
women from 2024. This will mean that for women born after 5 October 1950
and men born after 5 October 1959, their working life will gradually be extended.
So for women born on or after 6 October 1954, it will be the same as that for a man
– 49 years, gradually increasing to 52. This will also mean that from 6 April 2020,
women will have to have the same working life as men born on the same day to be
entitled to a basic State Pension.
As a result:
• for women a working life will be:
– 44 years for women born on or before 5 October 1950;
– 45 years for women born on 6 October 1950 to 5 October 1951;
– 46 years for women born on 6 October 1951 to 5 October 1952;
– 47 years for women born on 6 October 1952 to 5 October 1953;
– 48 years for women born on 6 October 1953 to 5 October 1954;
– 49 years for women born on 6 October 1954 to 5 October 1959;
• for men and women, a working life will be:
– 50 years for those born 6 October 1959 to 5 October 1968;
– 51 years for those born 6 October 1968 to 5 October 1977;
– 52 years for those born on or after 6 October 1977.
What is the ‘necessary number of years’?
People reaching State Pension age before 6 April 2010
A person must have enough qualifying years to equal at least 25% of the years of
their working life to qualify for any basic State Pension. To qualify for a full basic
State Pension, they must have qualifying years for at least 90% of the years of
their working life.
[SSCBA 1992 Sch 3 Para 5(8); Pensions Act 1995 Sch 4 Part 1 Para 1]