Your State Pension is an important source of retirement income in the UK, but gaps in your National Insurance (NI) record can reduce it. These gaps occur when you do not pay NI contributions in a given year.

Good news? You can fill these gaps! Below you’ll find information on how these gaps affect your pension, how much you can receive, and how to resolve the issue. It also applies if you’ve only worked in the UK for a few years.

How do gaps affect your pension?

The amount of your pension depends on the number of years you have paid NI contributions or received credits (for example, for raising children or during periods of illness). For the “new State Pension” (for people retiring after April 2016), the following rules apply:

• Full pension: You need 35 qualifying years to receive £221.20 per week (about £11,502 per year in the 2024/25 tax year).
• Partial pension: With at least 10 qualifying years, you get a proportionate amount—for example, 20 years entitles you to about £126 per week (about £6,572 per year).
• Fewer than 10 years: You will not receive a pension unless you purchase more qualifying years.

Under the older “basic State Pension,” you receive £169.50 per week (about £8,814 per year) with 30 qualifying years. Having fewer than 30 years means a proportionally lower pension.

Have you worked in the UK for only a few years?

Even if you have fewer than 10 qualifying years, you can still receive a State Pension by filling these gaps. For instance, if you already have 5 years, you could buy 5 more to reach the 10-year minimum and get at least a partial pension.

How to fill the gaps

1. Check your NI record: Visit GOV.UK to review your contribution history and find out which years have gaps.
2. Free NI credits: You may be entitled to credits (for example, if you received Child Benefit or Maternity/Paternity Allowance, or if you had an extended period of illness). Make sure you claim any credits you qualify for.
3. Self-employment and late tax returns: If you were self-employed but failed to submit a tax return on time, catching up on your return may be enough to qualify that year. Class 2 NI contributions are relatively low (around £179 per year). If your net profit exceeded the Small Profits Threshold (£6,725 in 2024/25) but was below the Lower Profits Limit (£12,570 in 2024/25), the year may count automatically. Once your profit is over £12,570, you need to pay NI contributions to make that year qualify.
4. Pay for missing years: You can buy missing years. It could just as easily be a few pounds or several hundred pounds, depending on whether any contributions were made that year. Until 5 April 2025, you can make backdated contributions as far back as 2006—an important deadline! If you expect a long retirement, paying now could potentially pay off in a relatively short time.

A few final tips

Gaps in your NI record don’t have to ruin your retirement plans. Whether you aim for the full £221.20 per week or just want to meet the 10-year minimum, putting in some effort to fill any missing years can significantly boost your future pension.