As you may be aware, there is a pending deadline of 05^th April 2025 to ‘top up’ any gaps in your National Insurance record between 2006 and 2018.

To qualify for full state pension, most people need to have 35 years of full National Insurance paid come retirement age.

We have detailed below a guide on how you can check your National Insurance record using the online Government website:

Step 1: Visit the UK Government Website

1. Go to the UK Government’s official website: https://www.gov.uk/check-national-insurance-record

Step 2: Sign In to Your Personal Tax Account

To access your NI record, you’ll need to sign in using one of these methods:

• Government Gateway ID – If you already have one. Or GOV.UK Verify – An alternative login method.
• If you don’t have an account, you can register for a Government Gateway ID.

💡 Tip: You’ll need your National Insurance Number and other personal details (e.g., passport, driving license, payslips, or P60) to verify your identity.

Step 3: Check Your State Pension Forecast

Once signed in, review your expected State Pension amount and when you can claim it.

Step 4: Check Your National Insurance Record

Whilst logged in, view your National Insurance Record to check:

• Your total number of qualifying years.
• Any gaps in your record (years where you did not pay enough NI contributions).
• Details of voluntary contributions you can make to fill gaps.

Step 5: Address Any Gaps (If Needed)

If you have gaps in your record you need to ask yourself the following questions before deciding whether to make voluntary contributions:

Q1. Have I already achieved the full 35 years contributions? If yes, nothing to do! If no, move to Q2.

Q2. Am I on track to achieve the full 35 years contributions by the time I retire? If yes, there may be no requirement to pay any historic gaps. If no, move to Q3.

Q3. If you are not on track to achieve the full 35 years contributions by the time you retire, and you want the full state pension entitlement, consider paying the gaps in your record (Note: certain tax years are cheaper than others depending on your contributions in that year, so you can select the cheapest years!).

If you are wanting to make voluntary contributions, you can contact the HMRC National Insurance Helpline for further advice and how to make the contribution on 0300 200 3500.