Will you get a full state pension?
If retirement is on the horizon, one of the most useful checks you can make is how much State Pension you are actually on track to receive. Many people assume they will get the full amount automatically, but that is not always the case. Your entitlement depends mainly on your National Insurance record, and gaps can reduce what you receive. The good news is that it is now fairly easy to check both your forecast and your contribution history online. Use GOV.UK’s Check your State Pension forecast service and Check your National Insurance record service to see what you could get, whether you have any missing years, and whether paying voluntary contributions would help.
How many qualifying years do you need?
For the new State Pension, you normally need at least 10 qualifying years on your National Insurance record to get anything at all. If your National Insurance record started after April 2016, you will usually need 35 qualifying years to receive the full rate. However, it is important not to over-simplify this rule. If you were contracted out before 2016, you may need more than 35 years to build up the full amount under the new system.
As of the 2026/27 tax year, the full rate of the new State Pension is £241.30 a week. If you reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016 and are instead under the basic State Pension system, the full basic rate is £184.90 a week. Not everyone gets the full figure, which is why checking your own record matters.
Why checking matters
Your online forecast does more than just tell you a headline number. It can also show whether gaps in your National Insurance record are stopping some years from counting, whether you would benefit from filling those gaps, and how your State Pension forecast could change if you decide to pay voluntary contributions. That makes it a far better starting point than guessing.
This is especially important for people with an irregular work history, time spent caring for children or relatives, periods abroad, low self-employment profits, or years spent in a workplace pension scheme that involved contracting out before 2016. In those cases, the simple “35 years = full pension” rule often does not tell the whole story.
Can you fill gaps in your record?
Yes, in many cases you can. If you have gaps in your National Insurance record, you may be able to fill them by paying voluntary National Insurance contributions. Start with GOV.UK’s Voluntary National Insurance contributions guidance and, if relevant, Pay voluntary Class 3 National Insurance. Before paying, check whether you are entitled to National Insurance credits instead, because free credits may achieve the same result.
One important correction to older guidance is the deadline. The special window that once allowed some people to go all the way back to 2006 has ended. In general, you can now only pay voluntary contributions for the past 6 tax years, and the deadline is normally 5 April each year.
For 2026/27, the voluntary rates are £18.40 a week for Class 3 and £3.65 a week for Class 2.
Planning points
1) Check before you pay
Paying voluntary National Insurance does not always increase your State Pension. GOV.UK specifically warns that voluntary contributions do not always improve your entitlement, so it is sensible to check your forecast and record first rather than paying automatically.
2) Low-profit self-employed people may have a cheaper option
If you are self-employed and have low profits, voluntary Class 2 contributions may be available and are much cheaper than Class 3. That can make topping up your record far more affordable in the right circumstances. GOV.UK’s National Insurance rates page shows the large difference between the two rates.
3) Do not overlook National Insurance credits
You may be able to fill gaps without paying anything. National Insurance credits can help protect your State Pension record if you are not paying National Insurance, for example because you are ill, unemployed, or caring for someone. Some credits are automatic and others must be claimed.
If you claim Child Benefit for a child under 12, you get National Insurance credits automatically. Parents and carers can also use GOV.UK guidance to apply for National Insurance credits if you’re a parent or carer, and foster or kinship carers may also be able to apply.
4) Older records may need extra care
If your National Insurance record includes years before April 2016, especially if you were contracted out, the position can be more complicated. In those cases, your online forecast is particularly valuable because it reflects your actual record rather than a rough rule of thumb.
Final thoughts
Checking your State Pension position is a simple piece of retirement planning that can make a real difference. At a minimum, you should review your forecast, check your National Insurance record for gaps, and see whether missing years can be covered by credits before considering a voluntary payment. For some people, paying extra National Insurance will be worthwhile. For others, it will not increase their pension at all. The key is to base the decision on your own record, not a general assumption.
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