The government has launched a new online service to make it easier for customers to check for and fill any gaps in their National Insurance (NI) record to help increase their state pension.
The Check your State Pension forecast allows British tax payers to view gaps in their NI record and pay voluntary contributions to fill those gaps, if it will benefit them. The new digital service will show customers by how much their state pension could increase and details of the voluntary NI contributions they would need to pay to achieve this.
It gives anyone with NI gaps in some of their tax years the opportunity to increase their state pension. They can pay securely through the service and will receive confirmation that their payment has been received and that their NI record will be updated.
How to pay voluntary NI contributions
Customers can access the Check your State Pension forecast via GOV.UK or via the HMRC app. Those who are eligible have until 5 April 2025 to pay voluntary contributions to make up gaps in their NI record between 6 April 2006 and 5 April 2018. From 6 April 2025, people will only be able to pay voluntary contributions for the previous six tax years, in line with normal time limits.
"I would encourage everyone to check their state pension forecast and to take a look at how they could improve their state pension award with only a few simple clicks." Paul Maynard, minister for pensions.
Paying voluntary contributions will not always increase their state pension but everyone can use the new service to check whether they could be better off in retirement before making any voluntary NI payments. Customers will need to log in to the new digital service using their Personal Tax Account log in details.
Those without an online HMRC account can register on GOV.UK.
Written by Rachel Miller.
