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The full new state pension in 2024/25 is £221.20 per week — £11,502.40 per year. But not everyone gets the full amount. The state pension you receive depends on your National Insurance (NI) record, and most people don’t know exactly what they’re entitled to until they check.
Checking your state pension forecast takes about 10 minutes online and can reveal whether you need to plug any gaps in your NI record before retirement.
How the State Pension Works
The current system (the “new state pension,” introduced in 2016) requires 35 qualifying years of National Insurance contributions to receive the full amount. You need a minimum of 10 qualifying years to receive anything at all.
NI qualifying years are built up by:
– Working and earning above the Lower Earnings Limit (£6,396 in 2024/25)
– Receiving NI credits — available when you’re unemployed and claiming benefits, on statutory sick pay, or claiming Child Benefit for a child under 12
– Making voluntary NI contributions
If you have between 10 and 35 qualifying years, you receive a proportional amount. For example, 25 qualifying years gives you 25/35 of the full pension.
How to Check Your State Pension Forecast
Online: Go to gov.uk/check-state-pension and log in with your Government Gateway account. If you don’t have one, you can create one during the process. You’ll need your National Insurance number and some identification documents.
The forecast shows:
– Your estimated state pension amount at pension age
– How many qualifying NI years you currently have
– Your state pension age
– Whether you have any gaps in your NI record and whether buying voluntary contributions could increase your pension
By post or phone: If you’d prefer not to use the online system, you can request a State Pension forecast by completing form BR19, available at gov.uk, or call the Future Pension Centre on 0800 731 0175.
What Your State Pension Age Is
The state pension age is currently 66 for both men and women. It is scheduled to rise to 67 between 2026 and 2028, and may rise to 68 in the 2040s (currently under review).
If you were born after April 6, 1978, the state pension age is likely to be 67 at minimum by the time you reach it. The government sends letters confirming your state pension age as you approach it, but you can check earlier at gov.uk.
Gaps in Your NI Record
If your forecast shows gaps, it may be worth paying voluntary Class 3 NI contributions to fill them — but not always. The calculation:
- Each year of missing NI costs approximately £824 to fill with voluntary contributions (2024/25 rate)
- Each additional qualifying year adds approximately £6.32 per week (£328 per year) to your state pension
- Payback period: approximately 2.5 years of retirement (£824 ÷ £328)
Given that most people will receive the state pension for 20+ years, filling NI gaps is almost always financially worthwhile. The deadline for filling gaps stretching back to 2006 has been extended to 5 April 2025 under a temporary government scheme — after that, you can generally only fill gaps from the past 6 years.
Check before paying: Call the Future Pension Centre before buying voluntary contributions. In some circumstances — if you spent time abroad in a country with a reciprocal NI agreement, or if you have credits you’re not aware of — gaps can be filled for free, or contributions for certain years won’t increase your pension and would be wasted.
NI Credits: Don’t Forget These
Many people are entitled to NI credits they haven’t claimed:
- Child Benefit NI credits: Automatically received if you claim Child Benefit for a child under 12. If someone in your household claims Child Benefit under their name but you’re the lower or non-earner, you may be able to transfer the credit. (You can claim Child Benefit in your name even if you don’t financially need the payment, just to get the credit — then opt out of the payment if you’re subject to the high-income child benefit charge.)
- Carer’s credits: Available if you provide care for at least 20 hours per week to someone on certain disability benefits
- Statutory sick pay: Employees receiving statutory sick pay get NI credits automatically
Checking your NI record and cross-referencing with periods when you weren’t working can reveal credits you didn’t know you had.
What Happens After You Check
If your forecast is at or above the full state pension amount (£221.20/week in 2024/25), no action is required on the NI side. You may still benefit from considering whether to defer your state pension, which increases it by 1% for every 9 weeks you delay — effectively about 5.8% per year.
If your forecast is below the full amount and you have gaps, consider:
1. Can those gaps be filled with free credits (check with Future Pension Centre)?
2. If not, is it worth paying voluntary contributions? (Almost always yes, given the payback period)
3. Do you have enough working years remaining to reach 35 qualifying years naturally?
Summary
Checking your state pension forecast is a 10-minute task that can meaningfully affect your retirement income:
- Check at gov.uk/check-state-pension — you need a Government Gateway account and your NI number
- You need 35 qualifying years for the full pension — 10 years minimum to receive anything
- Gaps in your NI record can usually be filled — voluntary contributions cost ~£824/year and pay back in under 3 years of retirement
- Claim NI credits you’re entitled to — particularly Child Benefit credits for non-working parents or lower earners
- Don’t buy voluntary contributions before calling the Future Pension Centre — some gaps cost money to fill but don’t increase your pension
Next read: What is a pension and how does it work for beginners? | https://moneyunpacked.co.uk/what-is-a-pension-and-how-does-it-work-for-beginners/