How our tools work
Every Semi Sweet calculator uses official UK sources, runs entirely in your browser, and shows the date its figures were last checked. Here is what each one uses, what it assumes and when we update it.
| Tool | Sources | Key assumptions | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pension age checker | Pensions Act 1995 Schedule 4 as amended; normal minimum pension age rise on 6 April 2028 | Ignores protected pension ages, ill-health rules and uniformed services schemes; State Pension age as currently legislated | 7 October 2026 |
| Part-time pay calculator | GOV.UK rates and thresholds for employers 2026 to 2027 | Standard tax code, one job, annual figures, pension as a percentage of full salary, no benefits in kind | 7 October 2026 |
| State Pension calculator | GOV.UK new State Pension (£241.30 a week) and voluntary NI rates 2026 to 2027 | Simple 1/35 rule; ignores pre-2016 starting amounts, contracting out and protected payments | 7 October 2026 |
| How much do I need to retire? | Retirement Living Standards (Pensions UK, June 2026); 2026 to 2027 income tax | Spending after tax, no housing costs; couples split income equally; ignores tax-free cash, growth and inflation | 7 October 2026 |
| Healthy years calculator | ONS National life tables UK 2022 to 2024; ONS Healthy life expectancy UK 2022 to 2024 | UK averages by age and sex; healthy life expectancy interpolated between five-year age groups | 7 October 2026 |
| The glide planner | 2026 to 2027 income tax and NI; State Pension age rules; new State Pension; Retirement Living Standards (June 2026) | Today’s money; one person; steady real growth you choose; 25% of each withdrawal tax-free (capped by the Lump Sum Allowance); no new pension contributions; spare income not saved | 9 October 2026 |
| Pension tax calculator | GOV.UK income tax rates 2026 to 2027; tax on your private pension; Lump Sum Allowance | Defined contribution pensions; standard personal allowance; no other reliefs or allowances; emergency tax figure is an illustration only | 9 October 2026 |
| Retirement budget calculator | Retirement Living Standards (Pensions UK, June 2026) | Your own figures; comparison with the standards excludes housing and saving | 9 October 2026 |
| Retirement readiness quiz | Semi Sweet’s own questions | A prompt for reflection, not a measure of financial readiness; answers stay in your browser | 9 October 2026 |
Licences and attribution
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0, including data from the Office for National Statistics, GOV.UK and HMRC. Retirement Living Standards figures are published by Pensions UK and are quoted with attribution. Semi Sweet is not affiliated with or endorsed by any of these organisations.
Privacy
All calculations happen on your device. We do not store or receive what you type into a calculator. If you choose to give us your email address, that is handled as set out in our privacy notice.
Update schedule
UK money rules change every year, so we review each tool on a fixed calendar and update the “last checked” date when we do.
- March to April: new tax year. Income tax bands, National Insurance, student loan thresholds, State Pension rate and voluntary NI rates.
- June: new Retirement Living Standards.
- December: new ONS national life tables.
- February: new ONS healthy life expectancy figures.
- Whenever announced: any change to State Pension age, including the outcome of the current review, or to the minimum pension age.
Spotted a mistake?
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