When can you reach financial independence?

Model your FIRE number, the age you could stop work, and the pension bridge — the years between early retirement and accessing your pension at 55. Adjust the inputs to see it update live.

Your age35
Target retirement age50
Annual spending in retirement£35,000
Accessible savings (ISA, GIA, cash)£120,000
Monthly ISA / savings contribution£1,000
Pension pot (SIPP, workplace)£90,000
Monthly pension contribution£1,000
Expected real return5%
Withdrawal rate4.0%

Your FIRE number

£875,000

at a 4.0% withdrawal rate

Reach FI at age

48

in 13 years

Pension bridge

Covered

£470,193.34 at 55

Wealth through retirement

Accessible savings must bridge from your retirement age to pension access at 55.

3537394143454749515355575961636567697173757779818385878991939597100Age£0£1,500,000£3,000,000£4,500,000£6,000,000Stop workPension (55)State pension (66)
Bridge covered — £470,193.34 surplus at pension access age
Depletion age: Never

You could reach financial independence at 48

That’s a £875,000 target, about 13 years away. Northing keeps this projection live against your real accounts and the current UK tax year — and we’ll pre-fill it with the numbers you just entered.

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How the FIRE calculator works

FIRE stands for Financial Independence, Retire Early. Your FIRE number is the size of pot that could fund your lifestyle indefinitely: your target annual spending divided by your withdrawal rate. At a 4.0% withdrawal rate, every £1 of annual spending needs about £25 invested.

The hard part in the UK isn’t the FIRE number itself - it’s the pension bridge. If you stop work before pension access age (55), your ISAs, GIA and cash have to carry you through the gap, because your SIPP and workplace pension are locked. This calculator models both pools separately so you can see whether your accessible savings actually cover the bridge.

Common questions

Figures use the 2026/27 tax year. This tool gives estimates for guidance only and is not financial or tax advice. Figures are estimates in today’s money based on the inputs above and a constant real return. Always verify the current rules on GOV.UK: plan your retirement income. Northing accepts no liability for decisions made on the basis of these estimates.

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