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Today (5 April) is the last chance to top up any gaps in your National Insurance (NI) records before the HMRC deadline closes.
It is the final day to make a NI contribution for the period back to April 2006 to boost your state pension.
This is key to ensure you have as high a state pension as possible, for the rule introduced in 2016 requires you to have 35 years of contributions to get the full payment.
If you have fewer than 10 years, you will not receive any pension, while if you have between 10 and 15 years’ worth, the amount you receive will be on a pro-rata basis based on the years you have.
From 6 April, the limit you can make a voluntary contribution drops to just the previous six tax years – which aligns with other benefit policies.
The deadline was extended in 2023 by two years to give taxpayers more breathing room to make a contribution for the period up until 2016/17.
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Why you could have a NI gap in your records
You might have a gap in your records due to the following:
- Employed but had low earnings
- Unemployed and were not claiming benefits
- Getting National Insurance credits for less than a full tax year
- Self-employed but did not pay contributions because of small profits
- Living or working outside the UK
To make a payment, you will need to head to the Government website to make either a class two or class three contribution.
You can check your records if you are unsure of what you’ve paid on the NI page too.
Or, if you want a conversation with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), you can request a call back by completing a request form.
The phone lines are open between 8am and 6pm.
The Government department has assured callers that if the form is submitted before the deadline but you receive a call after, you will not be penalised.
So far, around 120,000 people have made a voluntary payment to plug the NI gap using the digital service launched in April last year, according to HMRC.
This amounted to over a quarter of a million years’ worth of incomplete records by taxpayers ahead of today’s deadline. On average, taxpayers added £1,893, boosting the chance of receiving the full state pension.
Related: National Insurance gaps: How to pick the best years to boost your pension
