You now have until 5 April 2025 to fill in the gaps in your National Insurance record from April 2006 that may increase your entitlement to the British State Pension – an extension of nearly 2 years.
Extending the voluntary National Insurance contributions deadline until 2025 means that you have more time to consider whether paying voluntary contributions is right for you and ensures no-one need miss out on the possibility of boosting their State Pension entitlements.
The extension means that you have a longer period to enable you to afford to fill any gaps if they choose to do so. All relevant voluntary National Insurance contributions payments will be accepted at the rates applicable in 2022 to 2023 until 5 April 2025.
If you are planning your retirement you could benefit from completing gaps in your National Insurance record.
Paying voluntary contributions does not always increase your State Pension. Before starting the process, you should check your current entitlement and gaps in their National Insurance record from April 2006 onwards.
How can I boost state pension?
You can increase the amount you will receive from the state pension by filling gaps in your NI contribution record.
You do this by ‘buying’ missing NI contributions and the cost will depend on the type of contributions you are able to buy either Class 2 or Class 3.
You can pay Class 2 or Class 3 voluntary contributions if you have either:
- previously lived in the UK for 3 years in a row
- paid at least 3 years of contributions
To pay Class 2 voluntary contributions you must also have worked in the UK immediately before leaving.
Typically, you can only fill gaps in your NI record from the past six years. But a special window is currently open that allows people to fill gaps going back an extra decade. That means you can buy missing NI contribution years dating back to 2006.
You now have until the end of April 2025 to apply and make the payments. After that, the rules will once again only permit backdating for six years.
How do I boost my payments?
First, you need to check your NI record for gaps. To do this online, you will need to set up a Government Gateway ID using an email address and official documents — such as a passport or driving licence — at gov.uk/check-national-insurance-record.
Once you have established you have gaps, you should check your state pension forecast by contacting the Future Pension Centre.
You can also access your pension forecast online at www.gov.uk/check-state-pension. Alternatively, you can fill in an application — called BR19 — and send it to: The Pension Service 9, Mail Handling Site A, Wolverhampton, WV98 1LU.
You can find the form at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/application-for-a-state-pension-statement