Should I Defer My State Pension?

See your State Pension (Contributory) if you start it at 66, 67, 68, 69 or 70, what you give up while you wait, and the age at which starting later pays off.

Your State Pension at 66

€

A week. The maximum is €299.30 in 2026; use your statement or the rate the Department quotes you.

Start it at

Plan to age

Starting at 67

€313.40 a week

4.7% more for life, but you’d go without €15,564 while you wait.

Pays off from: Age 89
Total by 85: €293,342
Starting at 66: €295,708

What this means

If you were born on or after 1 January 1958, you can start your State Pension (Contributory) at any age from 66 to 70. Each year you wait raises it for life: at the maximum rate, from €299.30 a week at 66 to €363.90 at 70.

Waiting pays off only if you live long enough to make up the weeks you went without, which is usually into your 80s. It can suit you if you’re still working or have other income to live on meanwhile.

Next step

Start at 66 or later

Start at	A week	Total by 85
66	€299.30	€295,708
67 (+4.7%)	€313.40	€293,342
68 (+9.9%)	€328.90	€290,748
69 (+15.5%)	€345.70	€287,622
70 (+21.6%)	€363.90	€283,842

Total by 85

€295,708€147,854€0

6667686970

State Pension

Assumptions in this estimate

Uses the Department of Social Protection’s 2026 rates for starting at each age, in today’s money. If you get less than the maximum, the increase for waiting is reduced in proportion.
Budget 2027 raises the maximum at 66 to €309.30 a week from January 2027, with proportionate increases for later starts; the Department publishes those rates in the new year.
You need 2,080 contributions (40 years, including credits and home caring periods) for the maximum rate. Until 2034, your rate is the higher of that method and one mixed with the old yearly average.
Increases for a qualified adult, living alone or being 80 or over, and future Budget rises, aren’t included. The State Pension counts as taxable income.

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How the calculator works

Your rate at 66: your weekly State Pension (Contributory), from your statement or the Department of Social Protection. The maximum is €299.30 in 2026.
Starting later: the Department’s higher rate for starting at each age from 67 to 70, scaled to your rate.
Totals: what you’d get from each starting age to the age you plan for, at 2026 rates, and the age at which starting later has paid back the payments you missed.

Example

With the maximum €299.30 a week at 66:

Start at	A week	Total by 85
66	€299.30	€295,708
67	€313.40	€293,342
68	€328.90	€290,748
70	€363.90	€283,842

Starting at 67 gives up €15,564 but adds €14.10 a week, so it pays off after about 88 and 3 months. Living to 85, starting at 66 pays the most.

Learn more

See our guide to how much to save for retirement, the pension calculator, and the pension drawdown calculator.

Last updated October 28, 2026

Frequently asked questions

Can I defer my State Pension in Ireland?

Yes, if you were born on or after 1 January 1958. You can start your State Pension (Contributory) at any age from 66 to 70, and the later you start, the higher the weekly rate for life.

How much more do I get if I start at 70?

At the maximum rate in 2026, €363.90 a week instead of €299.30 at 66: about 21.6% more. Starting at 67 pays €313.40, at 68 €328.90 and at 69 €345.70.

Is it worth waiting until 70?

Only if you live long enough to make up the payments you missed. At the maximum rate, starting at 67 instead of 66 pays off at about 88 and 3 months, and waiting until 70 at about 88 and 6 months. It can suit you if you’re still working or have other income meanwhile.

What if I don’t get the full State Pension?

The increase for starting later is reduced in proportion. The calculator works it out from your own rate at 66.

How much is the State Pension in 2027?

Budget 2027 raises the maximum at 66 by €10, to €309.30 a week from January 2027, with proportionate increases for people who start it later.