Policy paper

The single-tier pension: a simple foundation for saving

The government's plans to reform the current state pension into a simple single-tier pension.

• From: Department for Work and Pensions
• Published: 14 January 2013
• Last updated: 2 July 2013 — See all updates

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

Documents

Single-tier pension: A simple foundation for saving

Ref: ISBN 978-0-10-185282-1, Cm. 8528

PDF, 3.68 MB, 108 pages

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RTF version – Single-tier pension: A simple foundation for saving

Ref: Cm. 8528

RTF, 984 KB

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Single-tier pension: A simple foundation for saving – Executive summary

PDF, 694 KB, 12 pages

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Single-tier pension: A simple foundation for saving – Executive Summary (Welsh version)

PDF, 1.46 MB, 16 pages

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Single-tier transition – technical note

PDF, 94.6 KB, 15 pages

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The single-tier pension and people who have spent time in self-employment

PDF, 158 KB, 12 pages

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Derived and inherited State Pension and the single-tier pension

PDF, 141 KB, 26 pages

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Single-tier State Pension fact sheet

PDF, 588 KB, 14 pages

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National Insurance credits and the single-tier pension

PDF, 140 KB, 15 pages

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The single-tier pension: transition and contracting out

PDF, 33.8 KB, 3 pages

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Details

On 14 January 2013, the government published the white paper ‘The single-tier pension: a simple foundation for saving’. It outlines proposals to reform the State Pension into a single-tier State Pension. The white paper also includes proposals for a regular and structured mechanism with which to consider changes to the State Pension age in the future.

On Monday 18 March 2013, the government announced that the single-tier pension will be introduced in April 2016.

The ‘Single-tier State pension fact sheet’ and the note on ‘National Insurance credits and the single-tier pension’, are based on the single-tier pension starting on April 2016. The other documents published here reflect the position at the time they were published – which was that the single-tier pension would be introduced in April 2017 at the earliest.

This reform will affect people who reach State Pension age from the time it is introduced. Current pensioners and those reaching State Pension age prior to introduction of the single-tier pension will not be affected and will continue to receive their State Pension in line with existing rules.

These reforms will provide a foundation to support automatic enrolment launched in October 2012, which will see 6 to 9 million people saving more, or saving for the first time, into an occupational pension.

The Pensions Act 2014 contains provisions to reform the State Pension system and implement the single-tier pension.

Note on the cohort of women born between 6 April 1951 and 5 April 1953

We’ve published a note that explains the effect of the single-tier proposals on women born between 6 April 1951 and 5 April 1953. It takes into account the government’s announcement that the single-tier pension will be introduced in April 2016.

Published 14 January 2013
Last updated 2 July 2013 + show all updates

1. 2 July 2013

   Documented added entitled The single-tier pension: transistion and contracting out. The document explains the reasoning behind the two valuations taken at the introduction of the single-tier pension.

2. 26 June 2013

   Added note on National Insurance credits and the single-tier pension.

3. 26 June 2013

   Added new publication: National Insurance credits and the single-tier pensions.

4. 10 May 2013

   Updated information with references to publication of the Pensions Bill.

5. 16 April 2013

   Updated to include a link to a note explaining the effect of the single-tier proposals on women born between 6 April 1951 and 5 April 1953

6. 14 January 2013

   First published.