To remind you to check your pension contributions before April 2025.

[AlisonWhatIsTheMatter]

I’ve checked mine and even though I was advised to contract out of SERPS in the late 80s, (currently resting in Phoenix Life) I’m not missing any years of contributions ( I think) my forecast on GOV.UK states I cannot improve my forecast anymore.

I was reminded to check again last night after watching Martin Lewis.

Just a reminder to check your contributions before April 2025 otherwise you might not get another chance to ‘plug in’ any gaps.

I’ve attached my GOV.UK forecast so you can compare what yours states.

If only retirement age was still at 60! I’d have 5 years to go. 😩

The problem is no one can really tell you if it’s worth it.

In 2014 my pension forecast showed 39 qualifying years and a full pension.

Due to the changes in 2016 I am now 6 years short. I am due to get my pension in 2027 and as it’s possible to pay up to 6 years back at any time I’m not going to do anything until closer to the time.

If you are only 30 and already have 9 complete years I wouldn’t be paying out £800 a year on the off chance that there is still a decent pension when you retire if I was you.

@LumpyandBumps is that to do with Brexit/EU combined contributions? I think they still count, don’t they?

@Staringatthemoon thank you so much for posting advise, it is much appreciated. I posted as a reminder but I don’t have the financial expertise to provide more detailed help, grateful for your input. Really hope it helps anyone who this affects.

No, as you weren’t in the country

you need 35 years of stamp to qualify for a full pension, supposedly

so you will have presently 17 years remaining to pay to qualify for full pension, you continue to pay afterwards regardless

if your age is less than 50 you’ll pay full stamp

I am the same age as you op. I checked my record yesterday and 21/22 was incomplete and I only had to pay £48 as I was one month short of a full years contributions. With a bit of effort I managed to pay it online and it states it takes 4/5 days to update. I will be checking next week to make sure it has. I have email confirmation and a reference number from HMRC.

Thanks op

I have 6 more years left to pay before 2043 sounds ages away! Hey ho 🙂

That’s brilliant news!

I’m showing a gap in 2009 - I was in full time education at that point (university) but working to pay my rent - I did a lot of hours that year and tipped just over the threshold for tax. I’m 37 now - would it be worth me plugging the gap?

It’s pointless me paying my gaps (from when I was at uni.) I’m in my late 20s, I expect the state pension age will be 70 odd by the time I get closer to retiring!

Thanks for your post.
I have only ever worked in the U.K.
The 39 qualifying years prior to 2016 still show on my record, and I thought I would be fine as that’s more years than currently required, but it’s not. Apparently current contributions are at a higher rate which is why less years are needed.
My Pension Forecast goes down every year as I haven’t paid in for that year.
I have recently started to get Class 3 credits so it shouldn’t get any worse from now on.

Thanks for this op.

Really helpful post, thank you OP and @Staringatthemoon

Is there any point if they are threatening to means test the state pension?

If you have savings or a private pension, you might not get it even if you do fill in any gaps and if you don't qualify for the full pension and have no savings or private pension, you'll get topped up by benefits anyway.

Will there even be a state pension (or maybe even a state!) in 20 years time?

Remind me again how hard work pays.

You must remember to actually check ni contributions not just rely on the page the op has posted

Thank you for sharing this, OP. If I get the same message as you, with the same amount and line "You cannot improve your forecast any more", does it mean I don't need to do anything? My retirement year is 3 before you.

If I don’t laugh, I’ll cry…

I'm not normally a cynical type but do we trust the government to give us state pension and not phase it out to anyone who has a private pension? I'm 51.

@Spicykitten does it say you're there already then? It doesn't say you need to earn more?

Similar age and sadly feel the same, but until it changes we just have to go along with it and hope for the best!

I cropped those parts out. I’ve paid in for 6 full years (this year is my 7th). 29 years to go, which is a kick in the teeth since I’m shattered already…

I’m believing this to be so.

@Spicykitten thank you for

Oh no has this come around already! It was extended a couple years ago, was hoping I would have more money by the time the extension ran out again

I personally don’t see the point in anyone younger plugging any gaps. Not big expensive ones anyway. I doubt state pension will be a thing in 30+ years. It tells you to pay the gaps but then says the pension is not a guarantee. So someone could spend a few thousand and in the future end up with no state pension at all. So that money could have been put in savings or their private pension but instead they may as well have set fire to it.

The other thing is, if you’re poor and don’t have a private pension, you’d just get pension credits anyway to top the state pension anyway.

In my opinion the only people who would benefit from topping up missed years are those due to retire in the next 10 years.

I could be wrong. But I think anyone under 50 is screwed when it comes to state pension.

I tried to do this a few years ago when I spotted the uni gaps and they don't let you top up for gaps while you were a student so you haven't missed anything! Wish they made it clearer though, took me some digging and phone calls to find out for sure!