Contracted out before 2016? How your starting amount and COPE work

How the starting amount is worked out

1. DWP works out what you would have got under the old rules (basic plus additional State Pension).
2. It works out what you would have got if the new State Pension had applied for your whole working life.
3. Both figures include a deduction if you were contracted out. The higher figure is your starting amount at 6 April 2016.

Worked example

Priya had 30 qualifying years by April 2016, but was contracted out for 15 of them. Her starting amount is £180 a week. Each qualifying year after 2016 adds about £6.89, so she needs (£241.30 − £180) ÷ £6.89 ≈ 8.9 more years, rounded up to 9, to reach the full rate: 39 years in total. If she stops work after 6 more years, she reaches about £221.37, and a voluntary year could still add a full £6.89.

Her colleague with a starting amount of £250 is already above the full rate. The extra £8.70 is a protected payment, and further years, paid or voluntary, add nothing.

What this means for voluntary NI

• More than 35 years may be needed, so a gap can be worth filling even if you already have 35 years.
• A starting amount above the full rate means voluntary years generally add nothing.
• Gaps before 2016 can sometimes increase the starting amount differently; ask the Future Pension Centre.

Common mistakes

• Counting years and stopping at 35 without checking the forecast.
• Assuming a contracted-out deduction means you lose pension overall: the workplace scheme was meant to replace it.
• Ignoring the protected payment, which is uprated by CPI rather than the triple lock.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• GOV.UK – The new State Pension: how it's calculated
• GOV.UK – Contracted out
• GOV.UK – The new State Pension: what you'll get

Figures are for the 2026/27 tax year and were checked against GOV.UK on 31 October 2026.

Related

• Why 35 years may not be enough
• Read your forecast
• Use the calculator
• Ask an adviser