The government is giving people more time to pay National Insurance contributions towards their State Pension.
Taxpayers now have until 5 April 2025 to fill gaps in their National Insurance record from April 2006 that may increase their State Pension - an extension of nearly 2 years.
Extending the voluntary National Insurance contributions deadline until 2025 means that people have more time to properly consider whether paying voluntary contributions is right for them and ensures no-one need miss out on the possibility of boosting their State Pension entitlements.
The original deadline was extended to 31 July 2023 earlier this year, and tens of thousands of people have taken advantage to pay voluntary contributions to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) since then. The revised deadline is expected to enable tens of thousands more to do the same.
Richard Fuller MP said:
This extension means thousands more people will have time to check their entitlement, and in many cases increase the amount they receive when they retire.
Individuals who are planning for their retirement could benefit from the opportunity to complete gaps in their National Insurance record. Other people who may benefit include those who may have been:
- employed but with low earnings
- unemployed and not claiming benefits
- self-employed who did not pay contributions because of small profits
- living or working outside of the UK
Paying voluntary contributions does not always increase your State Pension. Before starting the process, eligible individuals with gaps in their National Insurance record from April 2006 onwards should check whether they would benefit from filling those gaps.
They can find out how to check their National Insurance record, obtain a State Pension forecast, decide if making a voluntary National Insurance contribution is worthwhile for them and their pension, and how to make a payment on GOV.UK.
Taxpayers can check their National Insurance record through their Personal Tax Account.
