Forecast your new State Pension based on your NI record. See qualifying years needed, how much filling gaps costs vs adds, and your estimated weekly and annual pension at retirement.
Last updated: April 2026
Your National Insurance record
Check your NI record at gov.uk/check-national-insurance-record
Class 3 voluntary NI: £956.80/year (2026/27). Fills gaps back to 2006.
State Pension forecast
Estimated annual State Pension
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Total qualifying NI years -
NI years still needed (for full) -
% of full new State Pension -
Weekly State Pension -
Cost to fill 1 gap year (Class 3) -
Years to State Pension age -
How the new State Pension works
The new State Pension applies to people who reached State Pension age on or after 6 April 2016. The full new State Pension is £221.20 per week (£11,502.40 per year) in 2026/27. To receive the full amount, you need at least 35 qualifying years of National Insurance contributions or credits. With fewer than 35 qualifying years, your pension is reduced proportionally - you need at least 10 qualifying years to receive anything at all.
Qualifying years and NI credits
A qualifying year is any tax year in which you paid or were credited with enough National Insurance. You build qualifying years through employment (paying Class 1 NI), self-employment (paying Class 2 or Class 4 NI), and NI credits - which are awarded when claiming certain benefits, when caring for children (via Child Benefit registration), or when registered as a carer. NI credits mean that periods of unemployment, child-rearing, or caring do not necessarily create gaps in your record.
Filling gaps with voluntary contributions
If you have gaps in your NI record, you can pay voluntary Class 3 NI contributions to fill them. In 2026/27, the Class 3 rate is £956.80 per year of gaps filled. Each additional qualifying year adds approximately £6.32 per week (£328.64 per year) to your State Pension. The payback period for filling a gap is therefore approximately 2.5 years of pension income - making voluntary contributions one of the most financially compelling decisions available to people with NI gaps. You can currently fill gaps going back to the 2006/07 tax year, but HMRC has announced this extended window will close - check current deadlines.
Frequently asked questions
Your NI record is available online at gov.uk/check-national-insurance-record (requires a Government Gateway account). It shows each tax year from 1975 onwards, whether it is full, partial, or a gap, and whether voluntary contributions can be made to fill gaps. The Check Your State Pension forecast tool at gov.uk/check-state-pension gives a personalised projection based on your current record and expected future contributions.
Not directly, as long as your earnings are above the Lower Earnings Limit (£123/week in 2026/27). Employees earning above this threshold are treated as paying NI even if their earnings are below the Primary Threshold at which NI actually becomes payable - these are called zero-rate NI contributions and still count as a qualifying year. Very low earners (below £123/week) do not build qualifying years, which can affect part-time workers or those with multiple very small jobs.
Yes. If you delay claiming your State Pension, it increases by 1% for every 9 weeks deferred - approximately 5.8% per year. Deferring for one year increases the weekly amount by around £12.79 (at 2026/27 rates). The breakeven point for deferral is approximately 17–18 years. Deferral makes most financial sense if you are still working, do not need the income immediately, and expect to live into your late eighties. It is not the right choice for everyone - if health is a concern, taking the pension at the earliest opportunity is usually better.