Taxpayers now have until April 5, 2025, to fill state pension gaps from April 2006 that can increase their state pension — an extension of nearly 2 years — the government announced today (June 12).
Extending the voluntary national insurance contributions deadline to 2025 means that people have more time to consider whether paying voluntary contributions is right for them and ensures that no one has to miss out on the opportunity to increase their AOW entitlements.
The original deadline was extended to 31 July 2023 earlier this year, and tens of thousands of people have since taken advantage of paying voluntary contributions to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). The revised deadline is expected to enable tens of thousands more to do the same.
Victoria Atkins, Treasury Secretary of Finance, said:
People who have worked hard all their lives deserve to receive their right to a state pension, and filling gaps in national insurance data can really make a difference.
Now that the deadline has been extended, there is no immediate rush for people to fill gaps in their file and they have more time to spread the costs.
Laura Trott, Minister for Pensions, Ministry of Work and Pensions, said:
I’m glad to see so many people taking steps to review their state pensions. That’s why we’ve extended the deadline for clients to add additional years to their track record.
This extension gives thousands of people more time to check their entitlement and, in many cases, to increase the amount they receive when they retire.
The extension means that taxpayers have a longer period of time to afford to fill any gaps if they so choose. All relevant voluntary national insurance contributions will be accepted at the rates applicable in 2022 to 2023 to 5 April 2025.
Individuals planning to retire can take advantage of the opportunity to fill gaps in their career path. Other people who could benefit from this include those who may have been:
employed but on a low income unemployed and not claiming benefits self-employed who were not paying contributions due to small profits living or working outside the UK
Paying voluntary contributions does not always increase your state pension. Before beginning the process, eligible persons with gaps in their National Insurance records as of April 2006 should check whether they would benefit from filling those gaps.
They can find out how to check their state insurance records, get a state pension forecast, decide if paying a voluntary national insurance premium is worth it for them and their retirement, and how to make a payment on GOV .UK.
Taxpayers can check their national insurance information through their personal tax account.
More information
The deadline for voluntary national insurance schemes from April 2006 to April 2017 was originally 5 April 2023. In March HMRC extended the deadline to 31 July 2023.
The extension gives men born after April 5, 1951 or women born after April 5, 1953 more time to review their records and decide whether to make voluntary contributions to make up for gaps in their National Insurance records from April 2006.
Individuals can usually only pay voluntary national insurance contributions for the previous 6 tax years. The deadline is April 5 each year.
Learn more about how their national insurance data affects their state pension.
