Britons have just six months left to take advantage of a crucial opportunity to boost their state pension.
Pension savers can boost their retirement income by filling gaps in their National Insurance records dating back to 2006.
Those saving for retirement have until April 5, 2025, to make any final voluntary contributions for the years between 2006 and 2018.
After the deadline passes, people will only be able to fill gaps from the previous six years.
More than 10,000 payments worth £12.5million have been made to boost people’s state pension, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has revealed.
According to calculations by MoneySavingExpert, many people could spend £824 or less and receive £5,500 back in pension payouts.
The state pension is a payment made every four weeks by the Government
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Those born after April 5, 1953 (women) or April 5, 1951 (men) could potentially benefit from this opportunity to fill National Insurance gaps from their earlier career years.
The state pension is a payment made every four weeks to people who have reached the qualifying age and have paid enough National Insurance contributions.
To receive the maximum new state pension, individuals need 35 years of National Insurance contributions. To receive the basic state pension, people need 30 years of contributions and to get any state pension at all, 10 years worth of contributions are required.
There are various reasons why people might have gaps in their records, including time spent abroad, low earnings periods, self-employment without contributions, or career breaks for childcare and family responsibilities.
The full state pension currently stands at £221.20 per week, but many people may be on track for less if they have incomplete contribution records due to years contracted out.
In April 2025, the earnings link means the state pension will increase by 4.1 per cent, making it worth:
- £230.25 a week for the full, new flat-rate state pension, external (for those who reached state pension age after April 2016) – a rise of £472 a year
- £176.45 a week for the full, old basic state pension, external (for those who reached state pension age before April 2016) – a rise of £363 a year
Mike Ambery, Retirement Savings Director at Standard Life, said: “After the deadline, you’ll only be able to plug gaps from 2019 onwards so there could be 13 years that you will lose the ability to buy back.”
Heather Suttie, 50, discovered she was short of three years’ worth of National Insurance contributions due to extended studies and time spent in Tanzania.
She said: “I realised I could pay to fill the gaps in my record going back to 2006 thanks to Martin Lewis, and that the extended deadline closes in April.”
Suttie invested approximately £2,500 to purchase three years of mixed self-employed and employer contributions which helped her boost the amount she had and qualify for a full state pension.
She said: “It only took around 30 minutes to check for NI gaps, work out if it was worth plugging them and sort it. It’s so worth it.”
Tom Francis, head of advice at Octopus Money, also claimed: “Purchasing extra NI years can be a great way to achieve a guaranteed boost in income every year after you retire.”
Those interested in checking their National Insurance record can visit gov.uk/check-state-pension or use the HMRC app.
Alternatively, those not yet at state pension age can contact the Future Pension Centre on 0800 731 0175 to discuss potential gaps. For those already at State Pension age, the Pension Service is available on 0800 731 0469.
The online service may not be suitable for everyone, particularly those who were self-employed or lived abroad during the relevant period. Free advice is available through MoneyHelper on 0800 011 3797.
Ambery said: “Time moves fast and there’s now less than six months to go. Paying voluntary National Insurance contributions could make a difference in retirement, but it’s not right for everyone.”
However, experts advise that buying additional years isn’t suitable for everyone’s circumstances. Britons are urged to speak with a financial advisor before paying for any extra years.
