People are being urged to act quickly to potentially boost their State Pension. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has set a deadline of Saturday, April 5 for people to act.
People have until the looming deadline to fill gaps in their National Insurance (NI) record dating back to 2006. This can potentially add thousands of pounds to their State Pension. Up until April 5, you can buy back 13 NI years, dating between 2006 and 2018.
However, from April 6, people will only be able to make voluntary NI contributions for the last six years.
The DWP is urging people not to miss their chance to buy back these years, which they may have missed if they took a career break or didn’t work enough hours. It costs around £824 to buy a full year, but this can add thousands to your pension.
The eligibility for pension payouts is based on the number of NI qualifying years. People generally need around 35 years to qualify for the full amount.
If you’re already a pensioner, you should call the Pension Service to pay for missing NI years. However, if you’re not a pensioner, you should call the DWP‘s Future Pension Service.
The DWP said in a post on X: “Don’t miss out on your State Pension entitlement. The 5 Apr 2025 deadline for paying voluntary National Insurance contributions to fill any gaps between 2006 and 2018 is approaching. Find out how to check for gaps in your National Insurance record here.”
