UK Pension Pot Projection Calculator

Project your pension pot at retirement. Enter current pot, monthly contributions (including employer match and tax relief), expected return and years to retirement. The calculator shows the final pot and what it could buy as an annual retirement income using the 4% rule.

Pennywise Finance Editorial

Compound projection with monthly contributions. Draw-down estimate uses the 4% rule (Trinity Study). Assumes 2026/27 UK pension rules — £60,000 annual allowance.

Fact-checked
Reviewed September 2026
About our calculators

Runs entirely in your browser — your numbers are never sent to a server.

Your numbers

Current pot£

Your monthly contribution£

Gross — tax relief automatic.

Employer monthly contribution£

Expected annual return%

Balanced portfolio 5-7%.

Years to retirement

Result

Pot at retirement—

Total contributed (you + employer)—

Investment growth—

Indicative annual income (4% rule)—

How this calculator works

Monthly contributions compound at your chosen rate. Your contributions already include basic-rate tax relief (your take-home drop is lower than what lands in the pension — this calculator assumes you have already added the relief into your "your contribution" figure).

Tax relief on contributions

Workplace pension (relief-at-source): You pay net, provider claims 20% back automatically. Enter the gross amount here.
Workplace pension (net-pay): Contribution taken before tax from gross salary.
SIPP: Pay net, provider claims 20%. Higher/additional rate payers reclaim the extra 20/25% via self-assessment.

Annual allowance 2026/27: £60,000 (or 100% of earnings, whichever is lower).

The 4% rule explained

Based on the Trinity Study: a portfolio of 50-75% equities, withdrawing 4% of the starting pot in year one and uprating with inflation, had a very high probability of lasting 30+ years. Lower if you want a longer horizon; higher if you have other income (State Pension, DB pensions).

Frequently asked questions

Is 6% a realistic return?

For a balanced pension portfolio over decades, 5-7% nominal is a widely used planning figure. Lower in retirement when you de-risk.

Does this include tax relief?

It assumes "your contribution" is the GROSS figure after relief is added. If you only know your take-home deduction, multiply by 1.25 (basic rate) to approximate the gross.

What about State Pension?

This calculator projects personal/workplace pensions only. State Pension (2026/27 full new state pension ~£221/week) is on top.

Projections assume a fixed annual return — real markets do not return the same figure every year. Capital at risk. Past performance does not guarantee future results. General information only, not personalised financial advice.