HMRC and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) have launched an online service that allows people under state pension age to view gaps in their National Insurance (NI) record and pay for voluntary contributions online, without having to phone1. The tool, described as long awaited, launched in the week before 30 April 20241.
The government has enhanced its existing "check your state pension forecast" tool, accessible through gov.uk or the HMRC app1. Users log in with existing Government Gateway details or register for an account, and can then see which years have NI contribution gaps, the cost of filling them and by how much this would boost their state pension1. Payment can be made by bank transfer or open banking, and confirmation follows with an update to the NI record1. Card payments are not currently accepted, and HMRC told Which? it is looking at ways to expand the service to accept other payment methods in future1.
The service is not currently available to people already receiving their state pension, self-employed workers, or those living outside the UK with gaps incurred while working abroad1. Those who cannot use it, or who prefer to speak to someone, can call 0800 731 0175 to check their NI record and pay for missing years1.
Under normal rules, gaps can only be filled by buying voluntary Class 3 National Insurance Contributions (NICs) for the past six years, with each year's deadline on 5 April1. The DWP temporarily relaxed this rule in 2014, allowing some people to fill gaps for any year from 2006-07 onwards, so that those reaching state pension age in the early years of the new state pension, which came into force in April 2016, had an extended opportunity to assess whether they could improve how much they got under the new system1. The relaxed rules were due to end in April 2023, but HMRC extended the deadline, first until the end of July 2023 and then again until April 2025, after a surge in calls1. Men born after 5 April 1951 and women born after 5 April 1953 therefore have until 5 April 2025 to pay voluntary contributions for gaps between April 2006 and April 20181.
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Class 3 NIC rate, 2024-25 | £17.45 a week1 |
| Cost of a full year at that rate | £907.401 |
| Class 3 rate, 2023-24 | £17.45 a week1 |
| Class 3 rate, 2022-23 | £15.85 a week1 |
| Rate for gaps between 2006 and 2016 (men born after 5 April 1951, women born after 5 April 1953) | £15.85 a week, regardless of year1 |
| Potential addition to state pension from topping up a full year | £302.86 a year1 |
The new state pension is worth £221.20 a week, or £11,502.40 a year, in 2024-251. At least 10 qualifying years of contributions are needed to receive any state pension, and 35 years to get the full amount1. Topping up an entire year, at £824.20 or £907.40, could add an extra £302.86 a year to a state pension, meaning it would pay for itself after between two and a half and three years1.
Why it matters for households
The change affects people below state pension age who have gaps in their National Insurance record and want to fill them. Previously the payment had to be made by phone; it can now be made online1. The cost of filling a gap depends on the year: £17.45 a week for 2024-25 and 2023-24, and £15.85 a week for 2022-23, while gaps between 2006 and 2016 cost £15.85 a week regardless of the year for men born after 5 April 1951 and women born after 5 April 19531.
Paying voluntary contributions does not always increase a state pension. Filling gaps for certain years, particularly those before 2016/17, can sometimes have no impact, especially for people who were contracted out of the additional state pension1. The service allows users to check whether they would be better off in retirement before paying1. Some missing years may be filled for free with National Insurance credits, particularly where gaps were due to illness, looking after children or being unemployed1. The younger someone is, the more time they have to fill gaps through work1.
What happens next
The extended deadline for paying voluntary contributions to make up gaps between April 2006 and April 2018 is 5 April 20251. HMRC said tens of thousands of people have taken advantage of the scheme, and that the extension means there is no immediate rush for people to complete gaps and they will have longer to spread the cost1. HMRC is also looking at ways to expand the service to accept payment methods other than bank transfer and open banking, but no date for this has been reported1.
Pension WiseFree guidance on your options for a defined contribution pension, from age 50
FSCSProtects your money if a bank, insurer or investment firm fails
GOV.UKOfficial information on tax, benefits and government services