UK Coast FIRE Calculator

Calculate Coast FIRE using UK accounts and retirement milestones. Separate accessible ISA and cash balances from SIPP and workplace pensions, add your State Pension forecast and check whether your accessible assets cover the years before pension access.

ISA and pension balancesPension-access bridgeState Pension forecastUK rules reviewed: 2026-04-06

💡 Calculator Modes Explained

Active: Mode A (Overview)
Mode A: Overview

Projects total Coast FIRE readiness across all accounts. Combines ISAs, cash, SIPP, and workplace pensions to calculate your total target today.

Mode B: ISA Bridge

Tests accessible liquidity. Verifies if Cash & ISA balances can fund spending between work reduction/retirement and NMPA 57 pension access.

Mode C: State Pension

Evaluates income offsets. Calculates how your State Pension forecast (£221.20/wk at age 67) and DB pensions reduce required portfolio capital.

UK Coast FIRE Calculator

Enter your ages, UK account balances, pension access timing, and State Pension forecast.

UK Rules 2026–27

🗓️ Timeline & Retirement Ages

Age when work reduces or stops before pension access.

NMPA rises to 57 on 6 April 2028.

1. Accessible Accounts (ISAs, Cash & GIA)
£
£
£
£
£
£
£
£
Annual ISA Contributions: £8,400 / £20,000 allowance✓ Within Cap
2. Pension Accounts (SIPP & Workplace DC)
£
£
£
£
£

Employer pension contributions increase retirement assets but cannot fund the pre-pension ISA bridge.

3. State Pension & DB Income
£
£

Annual income from DB scheme statements (e.g. NHS or Civil Service).

4. Spending & Economic Assumptions
£
%
%
%

Calculated UK Coast FIRE Results

Updated Live
UK Coast FIRE Headline ResultTotal Coast FIRE target reached & accessible bridge fully funded
£204,195

Total invested capital required today across your accessible & pension accounts to achieve retirement independence by age 60.

Current Total Investments£245,000
Total Surplus / Gap+£40,805

Accessible-Asset Requirement

£101,766

Required today in Cash & ISAs to cover your pre-pension bridge years.

Current Accessible Balances

£115,000

Bridge status: +£13,234

Pension Assets at NMPA (Age 57)

£626,879

Projected value of SIPP & DC workplace pensions at access.

Real Growth Rate (Fisher Eq)

3.90%

Effective net inflation-adjusted compound growth rate.

Accessible-Asset Bridge Check

Bridge Window:Age 50 → Age 57 (7 yrs)
Total Bridge Need:£210,000
Depletion Status:Fully funded until NMPA

State Pension Impact (Age 67)

Pre-State Pension Spending:£30,000/yr
Post-State Pension Spending:£18,498/yr
Forecast Annual Income:£11,502/yr
Interactive Growth & Access Chart

UK Coast FIRE Portfolio Growth & Access Projection

Live Projection Graph

This chart visualizes how your accessible ISA/Cash assets and restricted SIPP/pension assets accumulate over time relative to your Coast FIRE target milestone.

£0£876k£1.8M£2.7M354147535965717780NMPA 57Retire 60
Accessible Assets (ISAs/Cash)
Restricted Pension (SIPP/DC)
Coast Target Requirement

Contribution Scenario Allocation Comparison

Compare how allocating £100/mo between ISA and SIPP affects your pre-pension bridge and later pension balance.

More Accessible Contributions
£1,600/mo
ISA:£900/mo
Pension:£700/mo
Bridge Bal at Access:£504,571
Current Split
£1,600/mo
ISA:£800/mo
Pension:£800/mo
Bridge Bal at Access:£478,171
More Pension Contributions
£1,600/mo
ISA:£700/mo
Pension:£900/mo
Bridge Bal at Access:£451,771
Live UK in-browser calculationNo data storedEducational estimate only
UK Account Structure

The UK Accounts and Ages That Change Your Coast FIRE Result

A UK Coast FIRE plan depends on both portfolio size and access timing. ISA balances may be available before SIPP or workplace-pension assets, while State Pension and defined-benefit income may begin later.

ISA & Accessible Assets

Cash, Cash ISA, S&S ISA and GIA support spending before private pensions unlock.

SIPP & Personal Pension

Personal-pension assets grow toward retirement but remain restricted until NMPA (57).

Workplace Pension

Employee and employer contributions build pension capital without increasing accessible bridge funds.

Pension Access Age

The entered age determines when SIPP and DC pension assets become spendable.

State Pension Forecast

User-entered forecast reduces portfolio-funded spending only after State Pension start age.

UK Inflation Context

Fisher equation calculates real return using inflation context without treating CPI as a forecast.

Three-Step Flow

Run the UK Coast FIRE Calculator in Three Steps

Account wrapper split
1

Add UK Account Balances

Enter ISA, cash, SIPP, workplace-pension and other investment balances separately.

Milestones & timing
2

Set Access & Income Ages

Enter private-pension access age (NMPA 57), State Pension age and any DB pension start age.

Bridge check
3

Review Total & Accessible Targets

Compare the total Coast FIRE result with the accessible-assets bridge required before pension access.

How the UK Coast FIRE Calculation Works

The UK calculation keeps account access separate from total portfolio value so restricted pension assets are not used before their entered access age.

Annual Retirement Spending − State Pension & DB Income
= Portfolio-Funded Spending Need by Phase
Accessible Assets (ISAs/Cash) fund Pre-Pension-Access Bridge
Private Pension Assets (SIPP/DC) + Accessible Assets fund Later Retirement
= UK Coast FIRE Number

Avoid These UK Coast FIRE Calculation Mistakes

Treating All Assets as Accessible

SIPP and workplace-pension balances cannot fund spending before their entered access age.

Assuming One Pension Age Fits All

Legislation, scheme rules and protected pension ages change the access age per individual.

Using a Standard State Pension

The calculator uses your official forecast rather than assuming full national entitlement.

Automatically Adding Tax Relief

Enter the gross amount credited to the pension account, as tax relief is not calculated automatically.

Counting Employer Match as Cash

Employer pension contributions increase retirement assets but do not fund an ISA bridge.

Treating CPI as a Long-Term Forecast

Latest ONS annual inflation is historical context, not a long-term retirement forecast.

Treating ISA Bridge as Tax Advice

The bridge tests mathematical access timing and does not determine tax law.

Treating Result as Regulated Advice

The tool provides an educational projection and is not regulated financial advice.

Choose the Calculator for Your Next Coast FIRE Question

Best for: Quick general estimate

Main Coast FIRE Calculator

Calculate the general Coast FIRE amount required today using essential portfolio inputs.

Current numberQuick estimate
Main Calculator

Best for: Year-by-year cash flow bridge

Bridge Years Calculator

Model accessible capital during pre-retirement bridge years.

Bridge cash flowYearly schedule
Bridge Years Tool

Best for: Pension income modeling

Pension Calculator

See how defined-benefit pension income lowers your portfolio requirement.

DB pensionIncome offset
Pension Tool

Best for: Today vs Future pounds

Inflation Calculator

Compare nominal and real returns using custom inflation scenarios.

Real returnToday vs Future
Inflation Tool

Best for: Country-specific tools

Country Hub

Explore localized calculators for UK and other country rules.

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Official UK Sources

UK Pension & Tax Authority Sources

Reference materials and official UK government guidance used to configure limits, access ages, and rules for this calculator.

GOV.UK / DWP

Check Your State Pension Forecast

Official UK government portal to retrieve your personalized State Pension statement and forecast start age.

Visit Official Source
GOV.UK / HMRC

Tax on Private Pension Access & NMPA

Official guidance on Normal Minimum Pension Age (NMPA 57), early withdrawal rules, and tax relief limits.

Visit Official Source
GOV.UK / HMRC

Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs)

Official annual subscription caps (£20,000 for 2026–27) for Cash ISAs and Stocks & Shares ISAs.

Visit Official Source
Money & Pensions Service (MaPS)

MoneyHelper Pension & Retirement

Free, impartial UK government-backed guidance on pensions, retirement choices, and drawdowns.

Visit Official Source
Office for National Statistics (ONS)

Consumer Price Inflation (CPI / CPIH)

Official UK statistical series for measuring inflation and cost-of-living metrics.

Visit Official Source
HM Revenue & Customs

HMRC Pensions Tax Manual

Detailed technical guidance on pension tax rules, protected pension ages, and scheme allowances.

Visit Official Source
Methodology and trust

UK Calculation Methodology & Source Review

  • UK rules version: 2026.1. Effective tax year: 2026–27.
  • Summary: Projects accessible assets and pension assets separately, applies each income source from its entered start age and checks whether accessible funds cover the pre-pension bridge.
  • ISA rules: Configured for £20,000 subscription cap in 2026–27.
  • Pension access: NMPA set to 57 (scheduled from 6 April 2028 under Finance Act 2022).
  • State Pension: Uses user forecast and start age without forcing a standard national maximum.
  • Inflation: ONS CPI and CPIH figures are shown as dated historical context.
  • Disclaimer: Provides educational estimates and does not provide regulated financial or tax advice.
MethodologyData sourcesCalculator changelogFinancial disclaimer

UK Coast FIRE Questions

What is a UK Coast FIRE Calculator?

It is a Coast FIRE calculator that separates accessible UK accounts, such as cash and ISAs, from SIPP and workplace-pension assets that may become available later.

Can I include my ISA and pension separately?

Yes. Cash, ISA, GIA, SIPP and workplace-pension balances are entered separately so the calculator can compare total invested assets with the amount available before pension access.

What pension access age should I enter?

Enter the age that applies to your pension under current legislation, scheme rules and any protected pension age. Confirm it with the provider rather than relying only on a generic preset.

Does the calculator include State Pension?

State Pension is optional. Enter the amount and age shown by your official forecast, and the calculator applies that income only from the selected start age.

Does the calculator assume the full State Pension?

No. It does not automatically assign a standard or maximum amount because entitlement depends on the individual record and current rules.

What is an ISA bridge?

An ISA bridge is the period in which accessible assets help fund spending before private-pension assets become available in the model.

Does the calculator calculate pension tax relief?

No. Enter the gross amount credited to the pension account. The calculator does not automatically calculate tax relief, salary sacrifice or personal tax consequences.

Does the calculator check ISA allowances?

It may compare entered annual ISA contributions with the dated official limit configured for the selected tax year. The check is informational and does not determine eligibility or flexible-ISA rules.

Are the inflation presets forecasts?

No. They are editable planning examples. The latest ONS CPI and CPIH readings may be shown as dated context but do not predict future inflation.

Does this calculator provide UK financial advice?

No. It provides educational projections and does not recommend an ISA, SIPP, pension, account split, withdrawal strategy, contribution amount or retirement decision.

Financial disclaimer: These calculators are educational planning tools. They use dated UK rule presets and simplified assumptions and do not constitute regulated financial, tax or pension advice.

Last reviewed: 6 April 2026. Review the Coast FIRE calculation methodology.