Boosting your state pension should now be quicker and easier for some as new limited online tool launches – here’s how it works
A new online service designed to simplify how you check and pay for voluntary National Insurance (NI) contributions is now available. It should make the state pension boosting process quicker and easier for most people. But you won’t be able to use this initial launch version of the
tool if you’re already getting your state pension or you’re looking to fill gaps from when you were self-employed or working abroad.
The Government’s new online service aims to speed up the state pension boosting process.
Here’s what we know so far about the new online service:
- You can access it through the ‘Check your State Pension forecast’ page on Gov.uk. It’s also available through the HMRC app. You’ll need to log in using your Personal Tax Account login details. If you don’t already have an online HMRC account, you can register at Gov.uk.
- It shows you how much your state pension could increase by and what NI years you’ll need to buy to achieve this. You’ll then be able to pay for these missing years securely online, without having to call up separately. You need to pay for these in full via bank transfer or through ‘Open Banking’ – you can’t pay in installments.
- You can’t use the online tool if you’re already getting your state pension or if you’re looking to fill gaps from when you were self-employed or working abroad or delayed claiming it. You also won’t be able to use the tool if:
You also won’t be able to use the tool if:
- You’re within four months and eight days of state pension age.
- You hold a ‘Married Women’s Reduced Rate Election certificate’, which means you paid or continue to pay less in National Insurance (NI) – see Gov.uk for more info on how this works.
- You’re eligible for ‘home responsibilities protection’ because you took time off work between 1978 and 2010 to care for a child, or someone with a long term medical condition.
- Your NI record is currently being updated, for example, if you recently bought NI years.
HMRC says it’s looking to expand the new service “in the future”, but it currently has no timeframe on this.
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