calcbase.

Pension pot calculator

Project your pot forward from what you have now and what goes in each month, then see what income it might support.

Your details
£
£
%
%
%
After charges. Use the rate you actually expect, not a hoped-for one.
%
The share of the pot you take each year. 4% is a common starting point.

How this is calculated

Contributions are your percentage plus the employer percentage, both applied to salary, added monthly. The pot grows at one twelfth of the annual rate each month.

Salary is held flat rather than assumed to rise, because a rise you have not had yet is not a figure you can enter honestly. If you want to model growth, run it again at a higher salary.

The income figure applies your withdrawal rate to the projected pot. It is not a guaranteed income, and it is not an annuity quote.

Up to 25% of a pension pot can usually be taken tax free, which is shown separately. The rest is taxed as income when drawn.

Rates used · 2026/27

Minimum auto-enrolment total8% of qualifying earnings
Tax-free lump sumup to 25% of the pot
Normal minimum pension age55, rising to 57 in 2028
State Pensionnot included here

Last checked July 2026. Source: HMRC and gov.uk.

Worked example

At 35 with £45,000 already saved, contributing 5% against a 3% employer match on a £45,000 salary is £300 a month. Growing at 5% to age 67 projects a pot of £505,582, of which £160,200 is what went in. At a 4% withdrawal rate that is £20,223 a year, with up to £126,395 available tax free.

Common questions

Is the State Pension included?

No. It is a separate entitlement based on your National Insurance record, and would be on top of anything shown here.

What growth rate should I use?

Whatever you genuinely expect after charges. Small differences compound enormously over thirty years, so try a pessimistic figure as well as an optimistic one.

Why is salary held flat?

Because a future salary is a guess, and this site works off figures you can actually supply. Run it again at a higher salary if you want to see the effect.

Is 4% a safe withdrawal rate?

It is a widely used starting point from US research, not a guarantee. Sequence of returns, charges and how long you live all matter, and it deserves proper advice.

This projects forward. The result is only as good as the rate you entered. Real rates move, and a small change over a long period makes a large difference to the answer. Try a higher and a lower rate to see the range you are actually dealing with.
This is an estimate, not financial advice. The result is arithmetic based on the figures you entered and the published rates listed above. It does not account for your full circumstances and should not be the only basis for a decision. For advice specific to you, speak to a qualified adviser.