The government has extended the deadline to fill in gaps to national insurance contributions from April 2006 up to April 2016.
It was announced on the 7 March 2023 by HMRC via a written ministerial statement after members of the public requested an extension to the deadline which was originally dated 5 April 2023.
Victoria Atkins, The Financial Secretary to the Treasury, said:
“We’ve listened to concerned members of the public and have acted.
We recognise how important State Pensions are for retired individuals, which is why we are giving people more time to fill any gaps in their National Insurance record to help bolster their entitlement.”
Due to the governments process of transitioning to the new state pension HMRC are allowing missing national insurance payments to be made for the period from April 2006 up to April 2016.
The good news is that HMRC will let you make voluntary national contributions to fill in any gaps so you don’t miss out on your full state pension entitlement.
Why is paying National Insurance Contributions so important?
HMRC is highlighting the issue of missing national insurance payments because it can directly effect the value of your state pension.
This is really important because when the time comes to receive your state pension you will want to be in a position where you receive the maximum benefit.
If you have gaps in your national insurance record the likelihood is that you will receive less state pension income.
HMRC knows that thousands of taxpayers have incomplete years in their national insurance record which is why they are giving people the opportunity to fill in the gaps and ensure they will receive the maximum state pension when they retire.
How do I know if I have gaps in my national insurance payments?
You can check your national insurance record and get a state pension forecast online through .GOV.
The state pension forecast and national insurance record checker will help you decide if making voluntary national insurance contributions is right for you and your state pension.
Your national insurance record can also be checked in your personal tax account or via the HMRC app. If you find that you have national insurance gaps you can then follow the steps to make voluntary contributions where appropriate.
I have questions about my State Pension who do I contact?
The future pension centre is available to help with your state pension enquiries and can provide you with a state pension forecast.
You can call the future pension centre on:
Telephone: 0800 731 0175
Telephone from outside the UK: +44 (0)191 218 3600
