Catch-up any state pension ‘gaps’
29th October 2022
Maximising future entitlement to state pension may not be at the forefront of people’s minds, but following the introduction of the new State Pension in 2016, the ability to pay voluntary National Insurance contributions to ‘fill’ gaps will become far more limited from April next year.
You can usually only pay for gaps in your National Insurance record from the past 6 years. However, provided you’re eligible, if you’re a man born after 5 April 1951 or a woman born after 5 April 1953, you have until 5 April 2023 to pay voluntary contributions to make up for gaps between tax years April 2006 and April 2016.
It is therefore important that you check your record. You can use your National Insurance record to find out:
- if you have any gaps
- if you’re eligible to pay voluntary contributions
- how much it will cost
It’s also worth noting that your record may not be showing National Insurance credits for particular years where you are entitled to credits, for example where you were in receipt of certain benefits. So it is important you are satisfied that your record is complete and correct.
You’ll usually need at least 10 qualifying years on your National Insurance record to get any State Pension, and you’ll need 35 qualifying years to get the full new State Pension.
Do get in touch with your Whitings contact if you have any questions regarding your State Pension position.
Disclaimer - All information in this post was correct at time of writing.
