How to fill in any National Insurance gaps in your pension
If you’ve taken time off work to raise children, care for someone, travel, or work part-time, you may have gaps in your National Insurance (NI) record. The good news is that there may be ways you can fill these gaps and increase your State Pension entitlement.
In this article we explain how National Insurance gaps work, how to check your record, and some actions you can take now to potentially boost your future State Pension.
What are National Insurance gaps?
National Insurance gaps happen when you don’t pay enough National Insurance contributions during a tax year. This might happen if you:
- Take a career break
- Work part-time and earn below the NI threshold
- Are self-employed with low earnings
- Live abroad
- Take time off work to care for children or relatives
These National Insurance gaps could reduce the amount of State Pension you receive later in life.
How many years do you need for the full State Pension?
To receive the UK State Pension, you usually need:
- 35 qualifying years of National Insurance contributions for the full State Pension
- At least 10 qualifying years to receive any State Pension
If you have National Insurance gaps, you may receive less than the full amount.
Why women are more likely to have pension gaps
It’s more common for women to have pension gaps than men because they are more likely to:
- Take maternity leave
- Reduce their working hours for childcare
- Become a carer
- Pause their career later in life
Many women don’t realise these breaks can affect their retirement income until much later, often when it’s too late.
How to check if you have National Insurance gaps
Worried you may have a gap in your National Insurance record? You can use the government’s online services to check your:
- National Insurance record
- State Pension forecast
- Missing years
Click here to check your National Insurance record.
What to look for when checking your National Insurance record
When checking your National Insurance record, look for:
- Full years
- Years not full
- Any missing contribution periods
Can you fill National Insurance gaps?
If you have gaps in your National Insurance records, you can make voluntary contributions to fill them. These are known as Class 3 contributions. However, you can only fill gaps in the past six years.
Is it worth paying voluntary National Insurance contributions?
For many women, yes it is worth paying voluntary National Insurance contributions. Paying a relatively small amount now could significantly increase the amount of money you receive during retirement. It may be especially worthwhile if:
- You’re close to retirement age (over 50)
- You have only a few missing years
- You expect to live many years in retirement
However, before making any payments it’s important to check whether paying voluntarily will actually increase your pension. To do this you will need to check your National Insurance record.
Two ways women can protect their pension record
If you have taken a career break to raise children or care for someone, there are two ways you can protect your State Pension record:
- Claim Child Benefit: You will get National Insurance credits automatically if you claim Child Benefit in your name, and your child is under 12.
- Claim Carer’s Credit: If you care for someone for at least 20 hours a week, you may be able to claim Carer’s Credit, which will protect your National Insurance record.
Both these credits can fill your National Insurance gaps automatically.
What happens if you didn’t claim Child Benefit because your household income was too high?
If you didn’t claim Child Benefit because your household income was too high to qualify, don’t worry. As this has affected a number of people, the government has announced a new system that will enable affected parents and carers to claim their missing backdated NI credits for free. This is scheduled to launch in April 2027.
Three common pension mistakes to avoid
Here are three common pension mistakes made by women that you need to avoid:
- Assuming maternity leave always counts: Not all career breaks automatically protect your pension. Check here to see how maternity leave can affect your pension.
- Missing Child Benefit credits: Some women accidentally miss credits if Child Benefit is claimed by their spouse or partner. Make sure it’s claimed in your name.
- Paying for years unnecessarily: Not every missing year increases your pension, so always check before paying voluntarily.
FAQ
Can I buy missing National Insurance years?
Yes, you can pay voluntary Class 3 National Insurance contributions to fill gaps.
How far back can I fill National Insurance gaps?
You can usually fill National Insurance gaps from the past six years.
Do stay-at-home mums get National Insurance credits?
Yes, they can do if they are claiming Child Benefit in their name for children under 12.
Will filling gaps increase my State Pension?
It can, depending on your age, your current National Insurance record and your State Pension forecast.
Make sure you receive the full State Pension
Many women only discover they have gaps in their National Insurance due to due to childcare, caring responsibilities, or part-time work later in life. By this point, it can be too late to fill in the gaps and receive the full State Pension.
Checking your National Insurance record, understanding your options and taking the right action now could make a significant difference to your retirement income in the future.
