Last reviewed: May 2026
Key facts:- You can check your National Insurance contributions record online through the HMRC Personal Tax Account, which shows years counted toward the State Pension.
- Gaps in the NI record can usually be filled with voluntary Class 3 contributions, with extended deadlines for older gaps announced by HMRC in 2023.
- You normally need 35 qualifying years for the full new State Pension; fewer years gives a proportionate pension.
UK Employment Rights Hub › Check National Insurance Contributions
Your National Insurance contributions record decides how much State Pension you will get and whether you qualify for certain contributory benefits. Checking the record regularly is straightforward through the HMRC Personal Tax Account on gov.uk. This guide explains how to access the record, what the figures mean, how to fill gaps with voluntary contributions, and the extended deadlines for buying back missing years.
How to Check Your Record Online
The fastest way to check your National Insurance contributions record is through the HMRC Personal Tax Account on gov.uk. You sign in with Government Gateway credentials. From the dashboard, select the National Insurance section to see a year-by-year breakdown of contributions.
Each year on the record is either a full qualifying year, a gap, or a partial year. A full qualifying year counts toward the State Pension and any contributory benefits. A gap does not count and may reduce future State Pension entitlement.
Workers, self-employed people and people receiving certain benefits such as Universal Credit, Maternity Allowance or Jobseeker Allowance accrue contributions or credits automatically. The Personal Tax Account shows whether each year was made up of paid contributions or credits.
Understanding Qualifying Years and the State Pension Forecast
The new State Pension was introduced for people reaching State Pension age on or after 6 April 2016. It normally requires 35 qualifying years of contributions or credits for the full amount. Fewer years gives a proportionate pension; ten years is the minimum for any State Pension at all.
The Personal Tax Account also includes a State Pension forecast. The forecast shows the projected weekly pension based on the contributions record so far, the projected pension if all remaining years until State Pension age are full, and any years it would be worth filling.
People who were already in the system before 2016 may have a transitional starting amount that combines old and new pension rules. The forecast accounts for these transitional rules and shows the result for the individual situation.
Class 3 Voluntary Contributions
Where there are gaps in the NI record, voluntary Class 3 contributions can fill them. The annual cost of a full Class 3 year was 907.40 pounds in 2025/26. The cost is uprated each year. The contributions are paid to HMRC directly, not to a pension provider.
Voluntary contributions are most valuable for years that are close to State Pension age, where the additional year is likely to increase the pension. They are less valuable where the record already has 35 qualifying years.
Class 2 voluntary contributions are available for some self-employed people with low profits or who lived abroad. Class 2 is significantly cheaper than Class 3. Eligibility for Class 2 voluntary contributions depends on whether the person was self-employed or working abroad.
Extended Deadlines for Older Gaps
Normally, gaps can be filled going back up to six tax years. However, special transitional rules apply to people reaching State Pension age under the new State Pension introduced in April 2016. They could originally fill gaps going back to 2006/07, with the deadline extended several times.
The most recent extension confirmed that the deadline for filling gaps back to 2006/07 is 5 April 2025. After that date, only the standard six-year rule applies. Anyone with gaps from earlier than the standard window should check the position before the deadline lapses.
The extended deadline applies only to those reaching State Pension age under the new system. People already on the basic State Pension (pre-2016 retirements) cannot use the extended window.
How to Pay Voluntary Contributions
Voluntary contributions are paid to HMRC by bank transfer, debit card or cheque. The reference number is generated through the Personal Tax Account or by phoning the Future Pension Centre on the number listed on gov.uk.
Before paying, the Future Pension Centre should be contacted to confirm that paying will increase the State Pension. In some cases, particularly for people with full transitional records, additional contributions do not increase the pension and the money would be wasted.
Payments are credited to the relevant tax year. It is important to use the correct reference for the year being paid. HMRC sends a confirmation letter once the payment has been allocated to the right year on the contributions record.
Strategies for Filling Older Gaps Before the Deadline
Prioritise by year value. Some years are more valuable than others for State Pension entitlement. The Future Pension Centre can tell which years would actually increase the pension. Filling a year that does not increase the pension is wasted money.
Class 2 over Class 3 where possible. Self-employed workers and people who worked abroad may qualify for Class 2 voluntary contributions, which are much cheaper than Class 3. Class 2 voluntary contributions for years living abroad are particularly valuable for expats considering returning to the UK.
Children of Class 2 self-employed workers. Where a parent was self-employed before the introduction of Class 2 voluntary contributions and gaps exist from those years, sometimes the gaps can be filled retrospectively at the cheaper Class 2 rate. The Future Pension Centre can confirm.
Married women National Insurance. Married women who paid the reduced married women NI rate before April 1978 may have insufficient contributions for State Pension. Specific historic rules apply and the Pension Service can advise on options.
Where to Get Free Independent Help
Acas (the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) is the statutory body that provides free guidance to workers and employers on workplace issues including check my national insurance contributions. The Acas helpline is the first port of call for many employment law questions. Acas also runs early conciliation before Employment Tribunal claims.
Citizens Advice and law centres provide free initial advice on check my national insurance contributions. Some law centres have specialist employment law advisers and can represent claimants at Employment Tribunal hearings free of charge. The Law Centres Network website at lawcentres.org.uk lists centres by location.
Trade unions provide free legal advice and representation to members on check my national insurance contributions. Even where the worker is not currently a union member, joining a union before issues arise gives access to professional advice if problems develop later. The TUC website at tuc.org.uk identifies relevant unions.
The Employment Tribunal handles workplace disputes that cannot be resolved through Acas. The tribunal is a no-cost jurisdiction (no fees to issue claims at the time of writing) and is designed to be accessible to litigants in person. The gov.uk employment tribunal pages explain the process.
For specific protected groups, dedicated organisations provide tailored support. The Equality Advisory Support Service helps with discrimination claims under the Equality Act 2010. Maternity Action specialises in pregnancy and maternity rights at work. Working Families is a charity supporting families with workplace flexibility issues.
Where the issue involves workplace health and safety, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is the enforcement body. HSE accepts reports from workers concerned about unsafe practices and can investigate. Reports are confidential to the extent practicable. The HSE website at hse.gov.uk explains how to raise a concern.
Putting It All Together
The rules above set out the legal framework, the practical steps and the support routes available. Where the situation is straightforward, the gov.uk pages and the official tools should be enough to act on. Where the situation is more complex, the free advice services listed in the previous section can usually clarify the position and identify the right next step. Many issues that look intractable at first turn out to be resolvable once the right service is engaged.
Keeping written records of communications and decisions throughout is good practice. Where a decision needs to be challenged later - through an internal complaint, an ombudsman, a tribunal or a court - the quality of the contemporaneous record often decides the outcome. Dates, names, reference numbers and copies of correspondence are the building blocks of any later dispute. The gov.uk advice pages and the relevant ombudsman or tribunal websites all set out the evidence they consider when reviewing decisions, and gathering that evidence from the start is one of the most effective protections available.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many qualifying years do I need?
35 for the full new State Pension, with at least 10 needed to receive any State Pension at all. People with mixed pre- and post-2016 records have transitional calculations.
How much does a voluntary year cost?
The 2025/26 cost of a full year of Class 3 voluntary contributions is 907.40 pounds. Class 2 voluntary contributions, where available, are significantly cheaper.
How far back can I fill gaps?
Normally six tax years. People reaching State Pension age under the new system had an extended deadline until 5 April 2025 to fill gaps back to 2006/07.
How will I know if voluntary contributions are worth it?
Phone the Future Pension Centre before paying. They can confirm whether your projected pension will rise. In some cases additional contributions do not increase the pension.
Do I get NI credits for childcare or caring?
Yes. Specified Adult Childcare Credits and Carer Credits cover periods of caring for children or disabled adults. These credits help fill gaps that would otherwise reduce State Pension entitlement.
What if my record shows an error?
Contact HMRC through the Personal Tax Account or the NI helpline. Provide P60s, payslips or other evidence. HMRC investigates and updates the record where the evidence supports the change.
Can I check my record without setting up a Personal Tax Account?
Yes, by phone to HMRC National Insurance helpline or by post. The Personal Tax Account online route is faster and more detailed.
How does the State Pension forecast handle pension freedoms?
The forecast assumes you continue contributing or receiving NI credits until State Pension age. It does not assume you withdraw or freeze your private pension - those are separate from the State Pension calculation.
What if I am missing a P60 to prove contributions?
HMRC has the original PAYE records. You do not need a P60 to query the record; HMRC can investigate using its own employer-supplied data. Where there is a discrepancy, the employer can be required to correct the record.
What is a Class 4 NIC?
Self-employed worker contribution paid on profits above the lower profits limit. Class 4 does not count toward State Pension qualifying years; Class 2 and Class 1 do.
How We Verified This
Information is taken from the gov.uk National Insurance and State Pension pages, the Pensions Act 2014 governing the new State Pension on legislation.gov.uk, the Social Security Contributions (Decisions and Appeals) Regulations 1999, and HMRC voluntary contributions guidance.