Contracted out of second State pension without realising. What implications?

[WhoTheFuckIsSimon]

I'm 40yo and have worked for the nhs for the last eight years. I'm not in a final salary pension scheme but a defined contribution one if that makes a difference. From next month my take home pay goes down by 1.5% as apparantly nhs workers paid less Ni and were therefore opted out of the full state pension......I had no idea about this and am a bit pissed off. I would rather have been paying that 1.5% for the last few years and have the fUll pension.

Prior to working for the nhs I had three years of not working while doing my degree so no NI contributions. Although had a small child so think I got my "stamp"???

Before that I worked for a large private firm for six years but was in a final salary scheme so am worried that I was also opted out then.

From the age of 16-21 I had part times jobs while at college and Uni. Paid properly with pay slips and I assume I paid NI. I had a rubbish job for two years after finishing uni with no pension. So I might have about 7 years of NI contributions there.

So I'm 40 now. Was planning on working for another 20 years but not really wanting to work past 60 (I have a plan to finance this).

So I'm worried I won't have enough years of full NI contributions to get a full pension. I will be paying full NI from now onwards but I read you need 35 years of full contributions to get the full pension and don't think I will do this.

If I pay 20 years of full contributions will I get a pension between the flat rate and full rate or is it just a case of if you don't have 35 years you just get the flat rate?

There is a form online where you can check your NI record - quite useful as a starting point.

FWIW, the years when I was 'contracted out' are still showing as full years on my NI record, so don't panic about it.

Ive just tried the online thing but apparantly my passport details do not match their records which is a bit odd, ive tried several times.

Don't have any payslips or a p60 so can't be verified. Will have to wait till I go into work and pick a payslip up.

I did it with NI number - this is the official gov.co.uk form. Have you got your number around?

Same as the Armed Forces OP. They're all getting a hefty 1% payrise which will immediately be cancelled out by the 1.5%rise in National Insurance contributions. Many are unaware of how this will really affect them and they can't get answers from the bods at MOD who seem clueless............

I know my NI number but also needed either passport details or a recent payslip.