Pension pot projection calculator
Projecting a £30,000 pot with £300 a month for 25 years, at 5% growth after a 0.75% charge, points to about £131,070 in today’s money at retirement. That follows gov.uk’s guidance on planning retirement income. The figure is an illustration built from the assumptions entered, not a promised return.
A pension pot projection estimates what a defined contribution pension could be worth at retirement by compounding monthly contributions and investment growth, then adjusting for charges and inflation. Contributing £300 per month for 25 years at 5% growth with a 0.5% charge is estimated to produce a pot worth approximately £157,000 in today's money. Enter your own figures below for a projection based on your current pot and contributions.
How does the pension projection work?
The calculator grows the current pot month by month and adds the monthly contribution as it goes. Each year’s growth is applied after subtracting the platform and fund charge, so a 5% growth assumption with a 0.75% charge compounds at a lower net rate each year. That mirrors how charges quietly erode a pot over a long period, as flagged in gov.uk’s guidance on tax and charges on private pensions.
The headline figure is then adjusted for inflation. A pound in twenty-five years buys less than a pound today, so the raw future pot overstates what it is really worth. Dividing by the compounded inflation figure converts it into today’s money, which is the number that can be compared sensibly with current spending.
| Growth applied | your growth rate minus the charge, each year |
|---|---|
| Contributions | added monthly until retirement |
| Headline figure | final pot adjusted to today’s money |
What would a worked example look like?
Start with £30,000 and pay in £300 a month for 25 years. Assume 5% growth, a 0.75% charge and 2.5% inflation. The total paid in is £120,000 of personal contributions over that time. After charges the pot grows to about £242,996 in future pounds, of which £122,996 is investment growth. Once inflation is stripped out, that is worth roughly £131,070 in today’s money.
How should I read the projection result?
- It is a projection, not a promise. Markets rise and fall, and a single growth rate hides that. Comparing a pessimistic and an optimistic figure shows the likely spread.
- Charges compound too. Cutting 0.25% from an annual charge can be worth thousands over a working life.
- Today’s money is the honest lens. A large future number can feel reassuring, but the inflation-adjusted figure is closer to what the retirement income will actually feel like.
Common questions
Why show the pot in today’s money?
A pot of £500,000 in 30 years will not buy what £500,000 buys now, because prices rise. Converting the projection to today’s money strips out inflation, so the figure reflects real spending power you can actually judge against your current living costs.
What growth rate should I use?
There is no right answer, which is why it is an input. A diversified pension might assume something in the region of 4% to 7% a year before charges over the long run, but returns are not guaranteed and vary year to year. Try a lower and a higher figure to see the range.
How much do charges matter?
Considerably, over decades. A platform or fund charge of 0.75% a year is deducted from your growth every year, and compounding turns a small annual percentage into a large slice of the final pot. Lowering charges is one of the few levers fully in your control.
Does this include the State Pension or tax relief?
No. It projects one defined contribution pot only. The State Pension is separate, and tax relief is added when you contribute rather than modelled here. Use the pension tax relief and State Pension tools for those parts.
Is this financial advice?
No. It is a neutral projection based on the assumptions you enter. Investment returns are uncertain and you could get back less than you put in. For decisions about your retirement, consider regulated advice or the free MoneyHelper service.
How does the pension projection work?
The pot is grown month by month, adding the monthly contribution each time, with growth applied after the platform and fund charge is subtracted. The resulting future-money figure is then divided by a compounded inflation factor, following the general approach set out in gov.uk’s guidance on planning retirement income, to give an estimate in today’s spending power rather than nominal pounds.
What would a worked example look like?
Paying £300 a month into a £30,000 pot for 25 years, at 5% growth and a 0.75% charge, gives a future-money pot of about £242,996. Once 2.5% inflation is stripped out, that is worth roughly £131,070 in today’s money, an estimate that depends entirely on the assumptions used.
How should I read the projection result?
Treat the headline figure as one possible outcome among many, not a guaranteed amount, since growth, charges and inflation can all differ from the assumptions entered. Running the calculator again with a lower growth rate and a higher charge shows how sensitive the outcome is. The today’s-money figure is the more meaningful one for judging spending power in retirement.
Sources & Rate Verification
Rates verified against official statutory guidance on 6 September 2026.