Your State Pension NI years decide how much State Pension you’ll get, and most people have no idea how many they’ve got. You need 35 qualifying years on your National Insurance record for the full new State Pension of £241.30 a week, and at least 10 to get anything at all. The good news? Gaps can often be filled cheaply, and it’s one of the best value deals going. Here’s how it all works.
How Many State Pension NI Years Do You Need?
For the full new State Pension, you need 35 qualifying years if your National Insurance record started after April 2016. If you started work before then and were contracted out of the old system, you may need more than 35.
| Qualifying years | What you get |
|---|---|
| Fewer than 10 | No new State Pension |
| 10 | Around £68.94 a week |
| 20 | Around £137.89 a week |
| 30 | Around £206.83 a week |
| 35 | £241.30 a week, the full amount |
These figures are a simple guide for people whose record started after 2016. Each year is worth around £6.89 a week, or roughly £358 a year, for the rest of your retirement.
What Counts as a Qualifying Year?
A qualifying year is a tax year where you either paid National Insurance, were treated as paying it, or got National Insurance credits.
If You’re Employed
You get a qualifying year if you earn at least £129 a week from one job in 2026/27. You don’t actually start paying National Insurance until about £242 a week, but you still build up the year.
If You’re Self Employed
Paying Class 4 National Insurance on your profits counts. If your profits are below £7,105, you can choose to pay voluntary Class 2 contributions of £3.65 a week instead, which is a bargain for a full year.
If You’re Not Working
You can still build State Pension NI years through credits. Common ones include:
- Being registered for Child Benefit for a child under 12, even if you don’t take the payments
- Getting Universal Credit
- Getting Carer’s Allowance, or caring for someone for 20 hours a week or more
- Claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance or Employment and Support Allowance
- Grandparents or family members looking after a child under 12 while the parent works
The full list is on the GOV.UK National Insurance credits page.
How to Check Your State Pension NI Years
Step 1: Get Your State Pension Forecast
Log in to the government’s State Pension forecast with your Government Gateway or GOV.UK One Login. It shows how much you’re on track for and when you can claim it.
Step 2: Look at Your National Insurance Record
The forecast links to your full record, year by year. Any year marked as not full is a gap.
Step 3: Check Whether Filling a Gap Would Help
The record tells you whether paying for a year would increase your pension. If you’ll hit 35 years anyway before State Pension age, you may not need to pay at all.
Should You Pay to Fill Gaps?
For most people, yes. A voluntary Class 3 contribution costs £18.40 a week in 2026/27, or £956.80 for a full year. That one year adds around £358 a year to your State Pension for life.
| Amount | |
|---|---|
| Cost of one missing year | £956.80 |
| Extra State Pension per year | Around £358 |
| Time to get your money back | Under 3 years |
After that, it’s pure profit, and the State Pension rises every year under the triple lock. Few investments come close.
When It Might Not Be Worth It
- You’ll reach 35 years before State Pension age anyway.
- You’re likely to qualify for Pension Credit, which could top you up regardless.
- You were contracted out and the forecast shows paying won’t increase your amount.
Always check your forecast first, and if you’re unsure, call the Future Pension Centre before you pay.
Deadlines for Filling Gaps
You can usually only fill gaps from the last six years. Gaps from the 2020/21 tax year must be paid by 5 April 2027, so if you have one, you’ve only got a few months left. Gaps from 2025/26 can be paid until 5 April 2032.
Older gaps are generally priced at the current rate, so there’s no benefit in waiting.
When Can You Claim Your State Pension?
State Pension age is currently 66, but it’s rising to 67 between 2026 and 2028. Check your exact date with the government’s State Pension age tool.
The full new State Pension works out at about £12,548 a year. For most people that won’t be enough on its own, so it’s worth seeing how your private pension adds up. Our retirement calculator shows the full picture, and our guide on how much you need to retire helps you set a target.
State Pension NI Years FAQs
Do I Get Any State Pension With Less Than 10 Years?
No, not from the new State Pension. You need at least 10 qualifying years to get anything, so filling gaps matters most if you’re close to that line.
Does Working Part Time Count?
Yes, as long as you earn at least £129 a week from one job. Two small jobs don’t combine, so earning less than that in each won’t count without credits.
Is the State Pension Going Up?
Yes. It rises every April by the highest of earnings growth, inflation or 2.5%. See how much it’s going up in our guide to the State Pension increase.
Can I Check My State Pension NI Years by Phone?
Yes. You can call the Future Pension Centre for a forecast, but the online service is quicker and shows your full year by year record.