Guides › Pensions and Retirement › Gaps in Your National Insurance Record
Gaps in Your National Insurance Record
Gaps in your National Insurance record can mean a lower State Pension. Check your record first, and whether you can get National Insurance credits instead of paying. You can usually pay voluntary contributions for the past 6 years, with a deadline of 5 April each year.
At a Glance
Your Rights
What the rules say, with a link to the official source for each.
Voluntary Contributions
GOV.UK
You may want to pay voluntary contributions if you are close to State Pension age and do not have enough qualifying years to get or increase your State Pension. Check your National Insurance record to see any gaps, what filling them would cost and whether you would benefit, and check whether you are eligible for National Insurance credits first. source
Deadlines
You can only pay voluntary contributions for the past 6 years. The deadline is 5 April each year; for example, you have until 5 April 2032 to fill a gap for the 2025 to 2026 tax year. source
Time Limits to Know
Miss a deadline and you can lose a right. Check the dates on your own paperwork.
- 5 AprilYearly deadlineFor the year 6 years earlier
Steps to Take
Step 1 of 5
Check your National Insurance record on GOV.UK.
Step 2 of 5
Get your State Pension forecast.
Step 3 of 5
Check whether credits cover any gap.
Step 4 of 5
Ask the Future Pension Centre whether paying would increase your pension.
Step 5 of 5
Pay before the 5 April deadline for each year.
(Tap the numbers to reveal steps)
Where to Go If It Is Not Put Right
Your options, in order, and when each one applies.
Voluntary Contributions (GOV.UK)
Check, decide and pay.
Good to Know
Small things that make your complaint stronger.
Paying does not always increase your State Pension. Check before you pay.
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If you would like one of our team to look at your problem, our initial case review is free. We cannot guarantee any outcome and we do not give legal advice.
Lead reviewer
Luke Marley
Founder and Lead Reviewer
Luke founded CPUK in 2026 after seeing how hard it is for ordinary people to get problems with companies put right. He oversees our guides and checks them against official sources.
Research by Katie Burt, Co-founder and Operations Lead (17 years in the care sector, including managing services for vulnerable adults), and the CPUK Research Team. Researched with AI-assisted research tools, then checked and corrected by our team.
Last checked: 13 October 2026. We are not paid by the companies we write about. Adverts never affect our guidance. Read our editorial policy.
Sources and official links
- gov.uk/voluntary-national-insurance-contributions Checked 13 October 2026
- gov.uk/voluntary-national-insurance-contributions/deadlines Checked 13 October 2026