Your State Pension

It’s easy to take your state pension for granted. But the truth is that after decades of hard work, every year people reach retirement age and then realise that gaps in their National Insurance record mean they are paid much less than expected.

Time is running out to increase your state pension.

The good news is that once you identify the gaps in your NI record, you can fill them in – and for the next few months there is a rare window to pay missed contributions going all the way back to 2006. 

Sacrificing a bit of time to sort out this admin could add tens of thousands of pounds to your retirement income – here’s how to do it.  

How do I know what my state pension will look like? 

The first step is to check your state pension forecast. You can do this by visiting the government website at: https://www.gov.uk/check-state-pension

If you have gaps in your National Insurance record, then your forecast will look smaller. You need a 35-year track record to qualify for the full state pension, which for many people will exceed £10,000 per year in the spring. 

You can check your National Insurance record here: https://www.gov.uk/check-national-insurance-record. In order to do so, you will need a Government Gateway user ID and password. 

You can also request a printed National Insurance statement online, by post if you live abroad or by phone. The government guide to calling the helpline is here: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-revenue-customs/contact/national-insurance-enquiries-for-employees-and-individuals