The number of qualifying years of National Insurance (NI) contributions you need to get the full State Pension depends on your age and when you reach State Pension age. This article will provide a quick overview of the qualifying years needed, followed by more detailed explanations and examples.
Quick Answer
If you reach State Pension age before 6 April 2016, you’ll need 30 qualifying years of NI contributions to get the full basic State Pension. If you reach State Pension age on or after 6 April 2016, you’ll need 35 qualifying years of NI contributions to get the full new State Pension.
What are qualifying years?
Qualifying years are ones in which you’ve made enough NI contributions to count towards your State Pension entitlement. This is usually by working and paying NI. You can get qualifying years through:
- Working and paying National Insurance
- Getting NI credits for periods you were unemployed, ill, raising children or caring for someone
- Paying voluntary NI contributions
You need a minimum number of qualifying years to get any State Pension. The more qualifying years you have, the closer you get to the maximum State Pension amount.
State Pension age before 6 April 2016
If you reach State Pension age before 6 April 2016, you come under the old State Pension system. This requires:
- 30 qualifying years to get the full basic State Pension
- 1-29 qualifying years to get a proportion of the full pension
- Less than 10 qualifying years you don’t qualify for the State Pension
The maximum basic State Pension is currently £141.85 per week. With 30 qualifying years, this is the amount you’ll get. With less than 30 years, you’ll get 1/30 of £141.85 for each qualifying year.
For example, with 20 qualifying years you’ll get 20/30 of the full pension, which is £94.57 per week.
Getting the minimum 10 years
To get any State Pension under the old system, you need a minimum of 10 qualifying years. Ways to get these if you’re short include:
- Check your NI record for any gaps – you may have credits you didn’t know about
- Pay voluntary NI contributions to fill gaps in your record
- Continue working until you reach 10 years
State Pension age from 6 April 2016
If you reach State Pension age on or after 6 April 2016, you come under the new State Pension system. This requires:
- 35 qualifying years to get the full pension
- 10-34 qualifying years to get a proportion of the full pension
- Less than 10 qualifying years you don’t qualify for the State Pension
The full new State Pension amount is currently £185.15 per week. With 35 qualifying years, this is what you’ll receive. With fewer than 35 years, you’ll get 1/35 of £185.15 for each qualifying year.
For example, with 25 qualifying years you’ll get 25/35 of the full pension, which is £133.25 per week.
Getting the minimum 10 years
As with the old pension, you need at least 10 qualifying years on your NI record to get any State Pension under the new system. If you’re short, you can:
- Check your record and top up any gaps with NI credits or voluntary contributions
- Work until you reach the 10 years needed
How to check your NI record
You can check your National Insurance record and qualifying years online through your Personal Tax Account, or request a statement by phone or post.
This will show the periods when you paid NI contributions through work, received NI credits and any gaps. It’s important to check it regularly so you know how many qualifying years you have and can take steps to improve it if needed.
Filling gaps in your NI record
If you have gaps in your NI record, there are ways to fill them and get the extra qualifying years you need, including:
- NI credits – You may be eligible for credits covering periods you were unemployed, sick, disabled, raising children or caring for someone. These give you qualifying years for free.
- Voluntary contributions – You can pay voluntary Class 3 NI contributions to fill gaps and get extra qualifying years. These currently cost £15.85 per week.
- Working longer – Any extra years you work and pay NI will give you more qualifying years towards the State Pension.
Should I pay voluntary NI contributions?
Paying voluntary Class 3 NI contributions can be worth it to top up your pension, but consider:
- How many years you need until you reach the maximum State Pension.
- Your age and when you’ll reach State Pension age.
- How much extra pension the contributions will give you.
- The cost – currently £15.85 per week, or £824 per year.
It’s a good idea to get financial advice to see if paying voluntary NI is worthwhile in your individual circumstances.
Case studies
Here are some examples of how many qualifying years you need for the full State Pension.
Jane – reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016
- Jane reached State Pension age on 3 March 2016 at age 63.
- She needed 30 qualifying years for the full basic State Pension.
- When she checked her NI record, Jane had 32 qualifying years.
- This ensured she received the maximum basic State Pension amount.
Mark – reached State Pension age after 6 April 2016
- Mark reached State Pension age on 3 July 2021 at age 67.
- He needs 35 qualifying years for the full new State Pension.
- Checking his NI record, Mark only had 25 qualifying years.
- He has 10 years left until State Pension age to get the extra 10 years needed.
Anne – pays voluntary NI
- Anne reaches State Pension age in February 2024 under the new system.
- She needs 5 more qualifying years for the full pension.
- Anne is only 3 years away from State Pension age.
- She pays voluntary NI for 3 years to get the extra years needed.
Who needs extra qualifying years?
People who are more likely to need extra qualifying years for the State Pension include:
- Self-employed – gaps in contributions if earning below the small profits threshold
- Part-time workers – may not earn enough to qualify for NI years
- Parents and carers – gaps in work while raising children or caring for others
- Disabled people – periods out of work due to illness or disability
- Early retirees – fewer working years so less chance to build up qualifying years
- Young workers – haven’t had chance to build up NI contributions
Getting NI credits for gaps
If you have gaps in your NI record when you were:
- Unemployed
- Ill or disabled
- A parent or carer
You may qualify for NI credits to cover these periods. These give you a qualifying year for your State Pension without you paying any contributions.
Examples of NI credits include:
- Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Employment and Support Allowance
- Carer’s Credit
- Child Benefit
Check your NI record to see gaps you may qualify to fill with credits. Contact the NI credits helpline for advice.
Should I work longer?
Continuing to work and pay NI is one of the easiest ways to improve your State Pension entitlement. It gives you:
- More qualifying years towards the 35 years needed.
- Higher income now and potentially in retirement.
- Chances to save more in pensions and other investments.
Working longer and delaying your State Pension can often give you a higher income when you do retire. However, it’s not an option for those forced to stop work early due to health issues.
Deferring your State Pension
Once you reach State Pension age, you can defer starting to take your pension. This can allow you to build up additional pension when you do start claiming it. For every 9 weeks you defer, you get an extra 1% State Pension. This can add up over time.
If you reach State Pension age before 6 April 2016, you can defer your basic State Pension to increase it by up to 10.4%. For the new State Pension reached after April 2016, you can defer up to an extra 5.8% State Pension.
Consider topping up other pensions
As well as trying to improve your State Pension entitlement, consider paying more into other pensions if you can afford it. Examples include:
- Workplace pension – speak to your employer about increasing contributions
- Private pension – top up your pot to get more retirement income
Building up other pensions as well as your State Pension gives you more options for increased retirement income.
Get financial advice
Getting professional financial advice can help you make the right decisions about improving your pensions for a comfortable retirement. An adviser can:
- Review your current pensions, investments and assets.
- Check how many qualifying years for your State Pension you have.
- Recommend whether increasing contributions or voluntary NI could help.
- Suggest retirement income solutions to meet your goals.
Conclusion
The number of qualifying National Insurance years you need for the full State Pension depends on your age. If you reach State Pension before April 2016, you need 30 years. If you reach it after April 2016, you require 35 years.
It’s important to check your NI record regularly and take steps to improve it when you can. Your options include voluntary NI, credits, working longer or deferring your pension.
Financial advice can help you make the right decisions about topping up your State Pension and other retirement incomes. This can provide more security and comfort in your later years.
