Check your National Insurance record

It is recommended to check your National Insurance record as this can affect your future entitlement to the State Pension and other benefits.

By using the online service, you can see what National Insurance contributions you have paid up to the start of the current tax year, along with any National Insurance credits you have received. The record also highlights whether there are gaps in your contribution history. This will highlight tax years that do not count as qualifying years for State Pension purposes. These gaps can arise for a variety of reasons, such as periods of low earnings, time spent working abroad or career breaks.

The service also shows whether you are eligible to make voluntary National Insurance contributions to fill any missing years and how much this would cost. Importantly, it allows you to see how your State Pension forecast could change if you decide to make those additional contributions, helping you decide whether paying voluntarily contributions would be beneficial.