Plug gaps in NI record to boost your state pension

If you want to boost your state pension entitlement, the deadline for filling in any gaps in your national insurance (NI) record is fast approaching.

You may have gaps in your NI record for many reasons, such as being unemployed or taking time out of work to bring up children.

But these gaps can mean you might not get the full state pension or qualify for additional benefits.

And that could hugely affect your quality of life when you retire, or mean you have to work longer.

What can I do?

You can plug gaps in your NI record to maximise your state pension entitlement.

But the deadline for doing this isn’t far away.

You only have until 5 April to check your NI record and fill any gaps from 6 April 2006 onwards.

Once this deadline passes, you’ll only be able to make voluntary NI contributions for the previous six tax years.

How do I plug gaps in my NI records?

The Check your State Pension forecast service on GOV.UK lets you check what your pension will be in retirement and take action if you need to. 

You can also use the HMRC app to check your state pension forecast.

Angela MacDonald, deputy chief executive of HMRC, said: “There are just two months left to check and fill any gaps in your national insurance record from 2006 onwards to boost your state pension entitlement. 

“Don’t delay - it is quick and easy to check your national insurance record on GOV.UK and it could help your finances in retirement.”

How many people have topped up their NI records so far?

The Check your State Pension online tool was launched last April, and since then:

• more than 37,000 people have made online payments
• the biggest weekly state pension increase has been £113.76
• the average online top-up payment has been £1,835
• nearly two-thirds of the years topped up are from 2017 onwards