Pension Drawdown Calculator

See how long your pension pot or savings will last in drawdown, and the most you can take each month for it to last.

Pension pot or savings

What you have now

Taken each month

On top of the State Pension

Your age now

More options· Investment return, inflation and how long it should last

Return

A year

Inflation

Withdrawals rise by this

Make it last to

Age

Your money lasts

21 years 7 months

To about age 86, taking £1,500 a month, rising with prices

Most you can take to last to 95: £1,183/mo
The 4% rule would give: £1,000/mo

What this means

To make your money last to age 95, take about £1,183 a month, £317 less than now. The 4% rule is a common starting point: take 4% of your savings in the first year, then raise it with prices.

You can usually take 25% of a pension tax-free; the rest is taxed as income when you take it.

Next step

Year by year

Age	Taken in the year	Left
66	£18,000	£296,516
67	£18,450	£292,396
68	£18,911	£287,596
69	£19,384	£282,071
70	£19,869	£275,772
71	£20,365	£268,647
72	£20,874	£260,644
73	£21,396	£251,705
74	£21,931	£241,769
75	£22,480	£230,774
76	£23,042	£218,652
77	£23,618	£205,332
78	£24,208	£190,740
79	£24,813	£174,797
80	£25,434	£157,419
81	£26,069	£138,520
82	£26,721	£118,007
83	£27,389	£95,782
84	£28,074	£71,742
85	£28,776	£45,780
86	£29,495	£17,781
87	£18,005	£0

Ways to make it last longer

Take 10% less (£1,350 a month): lasts 24 years 10 months, to age 89.
Earn 1% more a year, for example with lower fees: lasts 24 years 10 months, to age 89.
Delay the State Pension if you can: it rises by 1% for every 9 weeks you put it off.

Assumptions in this estimate

The return and inflation stay the same every year. Real returns go up and down, and a fall early in retirement makes money run out sooner.
Withdrawals are before any tax, and taken at the start of each month.

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How the calculator works

Pension pot or savings: what you have now.
Monthly withdrawal: what you’ll take each month on top of the State Pension. It rises with inflation each year, so it buys the same.
Result: how long the money lasts, and the most you can take for it to last to the age you choose (95 to start with).

Example

£300,000, taking £1,500 a month from age 65, with a 5% return and 2.5% inflation:

	Result
Lasts	21 years 7 months, to 86
Most you can take to last to 95	£1,183 a month
The 4% rule	£1,000 a month
Taking 10% less (£1,350)	Lasts 24 years 10 months

Making your money last

Delay the State Pension if you can: it rises by 1% for every 9 weeks you put it off.
Consider an annuity for the basics: it pays a guaranteed income for life, however long you live.
Get free guidance: Pension Wise, from MoneyHelper, offers free appointments if you’re 50 or over.

Still saving? The pension calculator shows what you could have by retirement.

Last updated October 20, 2026

Frequently asked questions

How long will a £300,000 pension pot last?

Taking £1,500 a month, rising with prices, and earning 5% a year, it lasts about 21 years and 7 months. To make it last 30 years, take about £1,183 a month.

What is pension drawdown?

Leaving your pension invested and taking money out as you need it, instead of buying an annuity. You can usually take 25% tax-free; the rest is taxed as income when you take it.

Should I count the State Pension?

Yes, but not in this calculator. Enter only what you need from your pension pot on top of the State Pension and any other pensions.

What is the 4% rule?

Take 4% of your pot in the first year, then raise the amount with prices each year. It comes from US market history, and many UK planners suggest a little less. On £300,000, 4% is £12,000 a year, or £1,000 a month.