Check now to make sure you’ll get your full State Pension
If you have gaps in the National Insurance record, you could miss out on thousands of pounds in State Pension when you come to retire. If you started working before April 2016, you could need up to 40 National Insurance years to qualify for your full State Pension, and if you have any gaps, you only have until 31 July to plug them. After that, you’ll no longer be able to buy back any missing years between 2006 and 2016, so you should check it out now.
- Check how much you’re going to get: Check your State Pension forecast - GOV.UK
- If you’re not on track for £185.15 a week (the current amount of the new state pension), you may have gaps in your National Insurance, so Check your National Insurance record - GOV.UK
- If you have gaps, the first thing is to work out why. You might be able to plug them for free, in certain circumstances, with National Insurance credits. Voluntary National Insurance: Gaps in your National Insurance record - GOV.UK
- Even if you can’t get National Insurance credits, you should work out whether it’s worth buying back years. One year costs, roughly, £824 and it could amount to as much as £275 a year for every year you’re retired, so it could add up to thousands of pounds. Not everyone’s circumstances are the same and it might not be worthwhile in all situations. If you’re below state pension age, call the government’s Future Pension Centre on 0800 731 0175. If you’ve reached state pension age, contact the Pension Service on 0800 731 0469.
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