Many people in the UK are now learning about a useful trick that gives you extra time to boost your State Pension. If you’re planning to make voluntary National Insurance (NI) contributions to increase your future pension, this small trick could help you avoid missing the deadline. It’s especially important for those who are close to retirement or anyone between the ages of 40 and 73.
Let’s break down how it works and how it can benefit your future pension.
Get an Extra Month Just by Clicking
Normally, there’s a deadline to make voluntary contributions towards your State Pension. But there’s a smart way to extend that deadline without doing anything complicated.
If you log in to your National Insurance records and click on ‘view details’ for any year where you have gaps, you will automatically get one extra month to make your payment. So, for example, if you do this on 4 April, you will be given until 4 May to pay. This trick gives you more breathing room without needing to call or email anyone.
Why You Should Care About Missing NI Years
To get the full State Pension, you need to have 35 years of National Insurance contributions. If you’ve only paid for 10 to 34 years, you can still top up your record to increase your pension. Even if retirement seems far away, topping up now can give you a much higher income when you stop working.
The UK government has also extended the deadline for making voluntary NI payments back to the 2006/07 tax year. This scheme will now run until 5 April 2025, giving everyone more time to benefit.
Martin Lewis’s Advice on Topping Up Pensions
Money expert Martin Lewis has advised people aged between 40 and 73 to check their NI records and consider topping up missing years. According to him, buying a full year of NI contributions costs about £825 or even less. But that small payment can increase your State Pension by more than £5,400 in total. For some people, the benefit could be even higher—tens of thousands of pounds more over their retirement years.
He also said that not everyone has to pay out of pocket. Some people may be able to fill these gaps for free, depending on their situation.
Real-Life Example: How One Couple Gained £18,000
A couple shared how they increased their expected State Pension by £18,000 over 10 years by buying just three missing NI years. They spent a little over £1,800 and will now receive a much bigger pension in the future. This shows how powerful this scheme can be—even for people who are not yet close to retirement.
How to Check Your State Pension
To see how much State Pension you’re likely to get, go to the ‘Check your State Pension forecast’ page on the GOV.UK website. This will also show you when you can start claiming it and whether you have any missing years in your National Insurance record.
If you do, click ‘view details’ to trigger that extra one-month extension. It’s a small action that can make a big difference.
If you’re between the ages of 40 and 73, or even younger, now is a great time to look at your National Insurance contributions. By using this simple trick and checking your records online, you could get extra time to top up and boost your future income. Whether you’re close to retirement or still have decades to go, this is one of the best financial decisions you can make for your future.
Even small payments today can give you a bigger, more secure retirement tomorrow. Don’t wait too long—the government has set a final deadline of 5 April 2025 for going back to 2006/07. Start checking now and see how much you can benefit.
FAQ
How can I extend the deadline for topping up my State Pension?
You can extend the deadline by logging into your National Insurance record on the GOV.UK website and clicking ‘view details’ for any year with missing contributions. This automatically gives you an extra month to make the payment.
Who should consider making voluntary NI contributions?
Anyone aged between 40 and 73 with gaps in their National Insurance record should check if topping up could increase their State Pension amount.
How much does it cost to buy a missing National Insurance year?
Buying one full missing NI year typically costs around £825 or less, depending on your individual circumstances.
What is the new deadline to make backdated NI contributions?
The UK government has extended the deadline to 5 April 2025 for voluntary National Insurance contributions going back as far as 2006/07.
Where can I check my State Pension forecast?
You can check your forecast and NI record by visiting the ‘Check your State Pension forecast’ page on the GOV.UK website.
