Why it’s important
Your State Pension is the bedrock of retirement income in the UK — guaranteed for life, inflation-linked, and paid every four weeks.
Yet thousands of people are missing out on hundreds of pounds a year because they have gaps in their National Insurance (NI) record.
A quick online check can reveal whether you’re on track for the full amount — currently around £230 a week (£11,900 a year).
If not, topping up missing years can be one of the best financial moves you’ll ever make — often delivering double-digit, risk-free returns.
What you need to know
1️⃣ How the State Pension works
The new State Pension (for those reaching pension age after April 2016) pays the full amount if you have 35 qualifying years of NI contributions or credits.
- Fewer years = smaller pension (each missing year reduces it by roughly £6 a week).
- Minimum of 10 qualifying years to get any payment.
Your NI record is built from:
- Pay-as-you-earn (PAYE) deductions while working.
- Self-employed contributions (Class 2 or 4).
- Credits for time spent caring for children, receiving certain benefits, or serving in the armed forces.
2️⃣ Why gaps happen
It’s surprisingly easy to miss a year:
- You worked abroad.
- You earned below the NI threshold.
- You were self-employed but missed payments.
- You took a career break or part-time role.
- You didn’t claim benefits that would have given NI credits (like Child Benefit or Jobseeker’s Allowance).
These gaps quietly reduce your future pension unless you fill them.
3️⃣ How to check your record
Go to gov.uk/check-state-pension. You’ll need a Government Gateway login.
You’ll see:
- Your forecast — what you’re on track to receive at State Pension age.
- Your NI record — which years count, which have shortfalls, and how much each costs to fill.
It takes about five minutes and could be worth thousands.
4️⃣ Buying missing years — the maths
You can usually pay voluntary Class 3 NI contributions to fill missing years.
- Each year costs roughly £824 (2025 rate).
- Each full year adds about £275 a year to your State Pension for life.
Live just four years after pension age and you’ve already broken even; everything after is pure gain.
That’s effectively a 25%+ annual return, inflation-protected and backed by the government.
You can normally buy the past six tax years, though temporary extensions have sometimes allowed topping up further back — check the latest rules on GOV.UK.
5️⃣ Who should not top up automatically
For most people it’s a no-brainer, but there are exceptions:
- If you already have 35 qualifying years — no need to pay more.
- If you’ll keep working and earning NI credits before pension age.
- If you were in certain public-sector or “contracted-out” schemes pre-2016 — the calculation can be more complex.
Before paying, ring the Future Pension Centre (0800 731 0175) or use GOV.UK’s secure message service. They’ll confirm whether topping up will actually boost your pension.
6️⃣ Claim missed NI credits
You may be entitled to free credits you never claimed:
- Parents of children under 12 — you can receive credits via Child Benefit, even if your income is too high to get the payment.
- Carers — claim Carer’s Credit if you care for someone 20+ hours a week.
- Unemployed or on low income — check if benefits include automatic credits.
Back-dating these credits can fill gaps at no cost.
7️⃣ Deferring can increase it
If you don’t need the State Pension immediately, you can defer.
Every 9 weeks deferred adds roughly 1% to future payments — about 5.8% for each year.
This isn’t right for everyone, but if you have other income and expect to live longer, deferral can boost lifetime income.
What you should do next
✅ Check your forecast today
Visit gov.uk/check-state-pension. It shows your projected amount and the date you reach State Pension age.
✅ Review your NI record
Identify any incomplete years. Note how many you need for the full 35.
✅ Call the Future Pension Centre
Before paying, confirm which years are worth topping up and the exact cost. (Rules differ for those who contributed before 2016.)
✅ Decide whether to buy or claim credits
If you can buy a missing year and will live at least four years after pension age, it’s likely good value.
If eligible for free credits (parents, carers), claim those first.
✅ Pay before deadlines
You usually have until 5 April each year to fill the previous six tax years. Don’t wait until the final week — payments can take time to process.
✅ Keep proof
Retain receipts or HMRC confirmations for every voluntary payment — just in case your record needs updating later.
✅ Re-check every few years
New shortfalls can appear if you change jobs or go self-employed, so review your record periodically until you retire.
Worked example
Lisa, age 55, checks her forecast and finds 31 qualifying years — four short of the full pension.
She phones the Future Pension Centre and confirms that filling those four years will increase her pension by roughly £1,100 a year.
Cost: about £3,300 in voluntary contributions.
Break-even: just over three years after pension age.
If she lives 20 years in retirement, she’ll receive over £22,000 extra, inflation-linked — all for a one-off £3,300 payment.
Bottom line
Your State Pension is guaranteed income for life.
Checking your NI record and filling any gaps is a fast, risk-free way to raise it — permanently.
So:
1️⃣ Check your record now.
2️⃣ Confirm with the Future Pension Centre.
3️⃣ Fill the gaps while you still can.
A five-minute check today could add thousands to your retirement income — and deliver the best return you’ll ever get without taking a single risk.
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