Check your National Insurance (NI) records before 5 April 2023 to avoid falling short on your UK state pension claim.
For those retiring on or after 6 April 2016 and looking to claim the maximum full state pension (currently £185.15 per week), they must have 35 qualifying years of NI contributions. To qualify for any state pension at all, a minimum of 10 years NI contributions are needed.
Voluntary contributions can be made to plug the gaps of missed years, but generally these voluntary contributions are restricted to the previous six tax years. A current extension to this catch-up period, allows most individuals to track back as far as 2006/07 – so an additional 10 years. This extension will only last until 6 April 2023.
Considering your position before the extension period ends may be particularly sensible if:
- You’re approaching state pension age and may not have enough qualifying years to get the full state pension
- You know you won’t be able to build up the full qualifying years over your working life
- You’ve been self-employed and don’t pay Class 2 contributions (for example, if you have low profits, or live outside the UK)
Talk to us
If you wish to discuss your position with us, get in touch with our Private Client tax team.
The Team
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