Admittedly, it's not the most thrilling topic to chat about, but still, here goes:
The details:
Anybody who is retiring on or after 6 April 2016 requires about 35 qualifying years of National Insurance contributions to qualify for the full state pension. Although most people won't even consider this, if you've had periods of unemployment or low years in self-employment, you may have gaps that require attention.
Voluntary NICs
You can make voluntary contributions towards your National Insurance if you wish to increase your State Pension entitlement. You may be in this position if you're between 45 and 60 years of age and don't currently have enough qualifying years to date.
What should I do?
You should:
Set up a Government Gateway account if you haven't already done so, and check your National Insurance record.
Review your contribution history, and obtain a state pension forecast.
Contact HMRC if you see any errors
Consider if any voluntary contributions are due and consider making up any shortfall before the deadline of 6 April 2023.
The deadline has now been extended to 31st July 2023.
Worth Noting
HMRC have a calculator on their website which will be useful in calculating your next move.
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