To get the full State Pension in the UK, you typically need to make National Insurance contributions for 35 years. The number of qualifying years needed depends on your date of birth. The State Pension age is also rising, so you may need to work for longer to qualify for the full pension amount.
In this article, we’ll explain the qualifying rules for the full State Pension and look at how many years of National Insurance contributions you’ll typically need to make depending on your date of birth. Read on for the key facts and figures to help you understand what you need for a full pension.
What are the rules for getting a full State Pension?
To receive the full new State Pension, you usually need a minimum number of qualifying years on your National Insurance record. The key rules are:
- The full new State Pension is currently £179.60 per week (2022/23 tax year).
- To get the full amount you usually need a minimum of 35 qualifying years on your NI record.
- You’ll get 1/35 of the full pension amount for each qualifying year less than 35 years.
- The number of qualifying years required has increased over time as the State Pension age rises.
- You may get NI credits for time spent unemployed, ill, in education or raising children to help build qualifying years.
- Certain benefits and credits can help protect your pension when you cannot work.
So to get the maximum State Pension, you usually need 35 full qualifying years. If you have less than 35 years, your pension will be reduced according to how many years you are short.
How do I get a qualifying year?
You gain a qualifying year by:
- Working and paying National Insurance contributions
- Getting NI credits for periods when you were unemployed, sick, raising children etc
- Paying voluntary NI contributions to fill gaps in your record
To get a full qualifying year, you need to have paid or been credited with NI contributions for at least 50 weeks in any one tax year. Shorter periods of contributions can be combined across tax years to make up a full qualifying year.
You accrue qualifying years up until you reach State Pension age. Any contributions after State Pension age don’t count towards your qualifying years.
How many qualifying years for the full pension?
The number of qualifying years needed for the full new State Pension depends on your date of birth:
| Date of Birth | Qualifying Years Needed |
|---|---|
| Before 6 April 1960 | 30 |
| 6 April 1960 to 5 April 1961 | 30 |
| 6 April 1961 to 5 April 1977 | 35 |
| 6 April 1977 to 5 April 1978 | 36 |
| 6 April 1978 onwards | 35 |
As you can see from the table, people born before 6 April 1960 only need 30 qualifying years for the full pension.
For those born between 6 April 1960 and 5 April 1977, you need 35 qualifying years. An extra qualifying year was added if you were born in the 1977-78 tax year.
For anyone born from 6 April 1978 onwards, the qualifying period is 35 years again.
This variation reflects the gradual increases in State Pension age for men and women over the years.
What if I don’t have enough qualifying years?
If you don’t have the required number of qualifying years needed for the full State Pension, you’ll receive a proportion based on how many years you are short.
Each qualifying year missed reduces your State Pension entitlement by 1/35th. For example:
- With 30 qualifying years you would get 30/35 of the full pension
- With 10 qualifying years you would get 10/35 of the full pension
- With no qualifying years you cannot receive any State Pension
It’s possible to plug gaps in your NI record and boost your qualifying years by:
- Checking you have all the NI credits you’re entitled to
- Making voluntary NI contributions for missed years
- Paying more contributions up to State Pension age
Getting as close as possible to the full qualifying time can make a significant difference to the pension amount you end up with.
Should I pay voluntary NI contributions?
Voluntary NI contributions let you fill gaps in your record and increase your State Pension entitlement.
Whether paying voluntary contributions is worthwhile depends on:
- How many gaps you have in your NI record
- How close you are to State Pension age
- Your financial situation
Paying voluntary contributions can be expensive – up to £15 per week for a 2022/23 tax year. But it may be worth paying if you are very close to the 35 qualifying years needed.
Each extra qualifying year bought will increase your State Pension income by 1/35 of the full amount. Over your retired lifetime, this extra income can far outweigh the cost of buying extra qualifying years.
It’s usually only worth paying voluntary NI if you have fewer than 5 years left until State Pension age. This gives enough time for the extra pension income to cover the cost. Leaving it too late means you won’t recoup the money before you start drawing your pension.
Key facts on voluntary NI contributions
- You can buy qualifying years back to 2006
- It costs £15 per week for 2022/23 (£780 for a full year)
- You must pay for a full tax year (can’t pay for individual weeks)
- Payments allowable up to 6 years before State Pension age
Buying back missing years gets progressively more expensive the further back you go. It’s cheaper to focus on recent years first.
NI credits for periods out of work
As well as buying missing years, it’s worth checking your NI record thoroughly for any credits you may have missed.
You can get NI credits for periods when you:
- Were unemployed
- Were sick and claiming benefits
- Were in education
- Were raising children under 12
- Were caring for disabled people
These credits protect your NI record and help build qualifying years for your State Pension.
Make sure you have all the credits you’re entitled to. Contact the NI helpline if you think your record is incomplete.
Should I continue NI contributions after retirement?
Once you reach State Pension age, you no longer need to pay NI contributions. This means:
- Employees can have their NI liability removed via form CA72A
- Self-employed people no longer need to pay Class 2 NI contributions
Any NI contributions you make after State Pension age do not count towards your State Pension qualifying years. There is no benefit to continuing payments.
The only reason to carry on paying NI after retirement is to maintain your entitlement to certain benefits such as contribution-based Jobseeker’s Allowance.
Very few pensioners who work need to pay NI. Most choose to stop payments and keep this part of their income.
Changes to NI rules
The NI rules for getting a full State Pension are not fixed forever. Governments regularly review State Pension ages and entitlements.
Potential future changes include:
- Increasing State Pension age – you may need to work longer
- Changing the minimum qualifying period – the 35 years could rise
- Increasing NI contributions and credits needed each year
- Introducing a minimum contributions rule every year e.g. 26 weeks
These kinds of changes aim to ensure the State Pension remains affordable as people live longer. If you’re still some years from State Pension age, be prepared for the rules to change.
Get a State Pension forecast
You can check how much State Pension you are on track to receive by requesting a pension forecast from the Future Pension Centre.
This will show:
- Your total qualifying years so far
- Any gaps where you can buy voluntary NI contributions
- Your projected State Pension based on your current NI record
Getting a forecast helps you understand if you will receive the full pension and shows if you need to take steps to boost your entitlement.
Check your forecast every few years as you approach retirement age. Aim to fix any gaps in your record as early as possible.
Claiming with incomplete NI years
You can still claim your State Pension with gaps in your NI record but you may not receive the full amount.
When applying you’ll be notified:
- If your NI record entitles you to any pension
- Your number of qualifying years
- The pension amount payable based on your record
If your pension is reduced due to missing qualifying years, you’ll have the option to pay voluntary contributions to increase your entitlement before your pension is finalised.
Deferring your State Pension
You don’t have to claim your pension as soon as you reach State Pension age. Deferring your claim increases your pension in the following ways:
- Your pension increases by 1% for every 5 weeks deferred (10.4% per year)
- Your payments when they start will be higher
- You may get a taxable lump sum if deferring for at least 12 months
This can help boost your overall lifetime pension amount. However, deferring won’t increase your underlying number of qualifying years.
Conclusion
Getting the full State Pension requires you to make NI contributions for a minimum number of years. This is usually 35 years but depends on your date of birth.
Each qualifying year missed reduces your pension by 1/35 of the full amount. Checking your NI record and buying voluntary contributions can help maximise your entitlement.
With State Pension rules constantly changing, it’s important to check your own position regularly as you approach retirement age. Getting an up to date pension forecast will help you understand if you need to take action.
Planning ahead, fixing gaps in your record, and deferring your pension start date can all help boost your overall State Pension over your retirement.