Why Check Your National Insurance Record?

Your State Pension is calculated based on the number of qualifying years you have on your National Insurance record. Gaps in your record may mean you receive less than the full State Pension amount — unless you take steps to fill those gaps.

By reviewing your record now, you can:

• Understand how much pension you’re on track to receive
• See if there are gaps that need addressing
• Increase your future payments by making voluntary contributions

Extended Deadline to Fill Gaps (2006–2018)

Normally, you can only fill gaps from the last six tax years. However, a temporary extension allows you to pay voluntary National Insurance contributions for older gaps, specifically from:

Tax years April 2006 to April 2018
Deadline: 5 April 2025

After this date, any opportunity to fill gaps older than six years will close permanently.

Who This Applies To

You can benefit from this if:

• You’re a man born after 5 April 1951, or
• You’re a woman born after 5 April 1953

Even if you’ve reached State Pension age, you can still check your record and pay for past gaps if it would increase your pension.

How to Check Your State Pension Forecast

You can check your current and forecasted pension amount online using the government’s secure digital tool:

Check Your State Pension Forecast

What You’ll See:

Depending on your record, you may see:

1. Your current estimate based on your existing National Insurance contributions.
2. A projection of what your pension could be if you continue to work and earn qualifying years.
3. An enhanced forecast showing how much more you could get by paying for missing years.

If your forecast shows a weekly amount of £221.20 or more, you may have already hit the maximum entitlement and don’t need to take further action.

Accessing Your National Insurance Record

You can view your complete NI history via:

• The HMRC website
• Your Personal Tax Account
• The HMRC mobile app

This will show:

• Years you’ve paid NI
• Years that don’t count
• Any missing years (gaps)

Filling the Gaps: Should You Pay?

You might not need to pay for every gap. For example, if:

• You already have 35 qualifying years before 2016
• You’re on track to hit the full State Pension with future contributions
• You’re eligible for National Insurance credits (e.g. if you were a carer or on benefits)

Before making a payment, check if you’re eligible for free NI credits by searching:

“National Insurance Credits” at www.gov.uk

When to Call Instead of Using the Online Service

You’ll need to call if:

• You’ve already reached State Pension age and want to see if paying gaps helps
• You lived abroad or were self-employed during the gap years
• You need to assess whether paying for older years will make a difference

Contact Numbers:

• Pension Centre: 0800 731 0469 (UK)
• International: +44 191 218 7777
• Future Pension Centre: 0800 731 0175

Making Payments Online

If you’re eligible, you can make voluntary NI payments directly online via the Check Your State Pension forecast service. You’ll see a list of:

• Gaps you can fill
• The cost for each year (sorted from lowest to highest)
• How each payment would impact your pension amount

After paying, you’ll receive:

• A confirmation email
• An updated pension forecast within a few days

Final Tips

• Act early – Don’t wait until April 2025. Processing payments and updates takes time.
• Prioritize gaps that will actually boost your State Pension.
• Don’t overpay – if you’re already eligible for the maximum, filling gaps may not help.

Summary: What You Should Do Next

1. Check your State Pension forecast online
2. Review your National Insurance record for missing years
3. Determine if gaps need to be filled (and if they will increase your pension)
4. Claim credits if you’re eligible before paying
5. Pay online for any voluntary contributions you choose to make
6. Contact the Pension or Future Pension Centre if you need help or fall into special circumstances

For more in-depth help or to get started, visit the official government page:
www.gov.uk/check-state-pension

Let this be the year you secure your financial future — don’t miss the 5 April 2025 deadline!