Skip to content
£ moneyguide
Pensions

What type of pension do I have?

Where a link is marked *, it is a partner link — we receive commission at no extra cost to you. Links without a * earn us nothing. How we make money.

A short wizard to identify whether you likely hold defined contribution pots, a defined benefit promise, or mainly rely on the State Pension.

Question 1 of 4

Do you get payslips with pension deductions?

How it works

  1. Answer four questions about payslips, employer type and pension statements.
  2. We classify the most likely pension type and explain what that means.
  3. You get tailored next steps and links to trace lost pots or book Pension Wise.

Common questions

I have several small pots — should I consolidate?
Trace them first. Some older pots have guaranteed annuity rates or protected tax-free cash above 25%.
What is the State Pension?
A government pension from your NI record — separate from workplace pensions. Full new State Pension is £241.30/week (2026/27).
When can I access private pensions?
Normally from age 55, rising to 57 in April 2028, unless your scheme has a protected earlier age.

Related guides

Background reading