Voluntary National Insurance contributions
1. Why pay voluntary contributions
You need 30 years of National Insurance contributions to get a full State Pension when you retire.
You can pay voluntary contributions to fill or avoid gaps in your National Insurance record if you don’t have 30 years of contributions.
You may have gaps because:
- you’re ill and not working and don’t get any benefits
- you’re unemployed and don’t get any benefits
- you live abroad and don’t have to pay National Insurance
- you’re self employed making a profit under £5,885 and don’t have to pay National Insurance
To get bereavement benefits you need to pay 39 years of National Insurance contributions for women and 44 years for men.
Check your National Insurance record
You can apply for a National Insurance statement from HMRC to check if your record has gaps.
The State Pension calculator estimates how many years you’ve been contributing (‘qualifying years’) and how much pension you’re likely to get.
Decide if you want to pay voluntary contributions
You may want to pay voluntary contributions because:
- you’re close to State Pension age and don’t have 30 years of contributions
- you have gaps in your National Insurance record and want to fill them
- you know you won’t be able to pay 30 years of contributions during your working life and want to avoid gaps (more years for bereavement benefits)
However, you have to be eligible to pay voluntary contributions.
HMRC has more information on deciding if you want to pay voluntary contributions.
2. Who can pay voluntary contributions
The table explains who is eligible to pay voluntary National Insurance contributions and which class to pay.
| Group | Eligible to pay voluntary contributions | Current rates |
|---|---|---|
| Employed but earning under £111 a week and not eligible for National Insurance credits | Yes | Class 3: £13.90 a week |
| Self employed with profits under £5,885 and a 'Small Earnings Certificate' | Yes | Class 2: £2.75 a week or Class 3: £13.70 a week |
| People living abroad - employed, self employed, unemployed immediately before leaving the UK | Only if at some point you’ve lived in the UK continuously for 3 years or paid 3 years worth of contributions | Class 2: £2.75 a week |
| People living abroad and not working in the country they moved to | Only if at some point you’ve lived in the UK continuously for 3 years or paid 3 years worth of contributions | Class 3: £13.90 a week |
| Unemployed and not claiming benefits | Yes | Class 3: £13.90 a week |
| Married women who cancelled their reduced rate election | Yes | Class 3: £13.90 a week |
| People eligible for National Insurance credits at the time of the gap | No | N/A |
| Married women or widows who chose to pay reduced rates | No | N/A |
| People who reached State Pension age | You can only pay for the past 6 years | Class 3: £13.90 a week |
| People who reach State Pension age before 6 April 2016 and want to top up their State Pension | Yes, between 12 October 2015 and April 2017 | Class 3A: calculate the rate |
Download 'National Insurance rates from 1999 to 2014' (PDF, 17KB)
How to pay
Find out how to pay Class 2 and Class 3 contributions.
Voluntary National Insurance contributions paid from abroad don't cover your health insurance in the country you live.
3. Deadlines
You can pay voluntary contributions up to 6 years in arrears. The deadline is 5 April.
Example
You have until 5 April 2015 to make up for gaps for the tax year 2008 to 2009.
There are exceptions to the 6 year rule.