State pension top-up deadline has passed – what to know if you missed it

The deadline has now passed to boost your state pension by paying voluntary National Insurance (NI) contributions going back as far as 2006.

Until 5 April 2025, people up to the age of around 74 could buy older NI top-ups to increase the amount of state pension that they receive. This opportunity has now ended, although HMRC has confirmed that some people affected by a website error will be given extra time to complete payments.

Here, we explain what has changed, what the top-ups cost, and what to do if you were affected by the HMRC error.

How much state pension could I get?

Topping up your state pension by filling gaps in your NI record could enable you to receive a higher state pension. 

Hefty increases of 10.1% and 8.5% over the past two years have pushed up the state pension amount. Currently, the full level of the new state pension is £230.25 a week, or £11,973 a year.

You won't necessarily get this headline amount. Your eligibility is partly based on how many years of NI contributions you’ve paid or have been credited (known as your NI record).

If you reached state pension age before 6 April 2016, you're covered under the basic state pension and cannot plug older gaps in your record.

• Find out more: how much is the state pension worth?

Deadline to backfill has ended

Under the normal rules, it’s only possible to fill gaps in your NI record for the past six years, with each year's deadline being on 5 April. You can do this by buying voluntary Class 3 NI contributions (NICs). 

After six years, the gaps in your record become permanent and could affect how much state pension you're entitled to. To receive any state pension under the new system, you need at least 10 qualifying years of NICs, and 35 years to get the full amount.

From 2013, the government allowed any gaps from 2006 onward to be filled for those transitioning to the new state pension system, with an ultimate deadline of April 2023. 

Due to high demand, the government extended the deadline to 5 April 2025 for those born after 5 April 1951 (men) or 5 April 1953 (women) to cover gaps going back as far as 2006. 

This window has now closed. You can still fill gaps from the last six tax years, currently from 2019–20 onwards, but cannot go back further unless you were affected by a service error.

• Find out more: National Insurance rates and contributions

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What if you tried to pay on April 5?

HMRC has confirmed that its online service was taken offline earlier than expected on the final day of the deadline, meaning around 21,000 people were unable to complete payments. 

HMRC told Which?: We’re sorry that customers were unable to use our online service on Saturday to top up National Insurance contributions for years prior to 2021. 

'We will contact anyone affected directly about the payments they wanted to make to ensure they don’t miss out.'

You do not need to contact HMRC or DWP if you were affected. If you logged into the online service on 5 April 2025 and had payable gaps between 2006–07 and 2020–21, HMRC says it can identify this and will be in touch.

Those who submitted a DWP callback request before the deadline will also be contacted. The DWP says it is prioritising people at or near state pension age.

How much does it cost to top up?

The standard cost of buying Class 3 NICs is £17.45 for a week for missing contributions in the 2023-24 and 2024-25 tax years. This means it would cost you £907.40 to fill in a full year.

If you're looking to fill gaps that occurred in the previous years, you would pay the rate charged in those years. The rates for the past four tax years are as follows:

• 2024-25: £17.45 per week (£907.40 per year)
• 2023-24: £17.45 per week (£907.40 per year)
• 2022-23: £15.85 per week (£824.20 per year)
• 2021-22: £15.40 per week (£800.80 per year)

You can find rates for previous years on the government website.

Is it worth topping up your state pension?

Plugging the gaps can be quite expensive, so you should first assess whether it's worth it. You might pay to plug a gap and not be better off, so speaking to someone first is essential. 

For example, filling blanks for certain years can sometimes have no impact on your state pension, particularly if you were 'contracted out' of the additional state pension, or had already paid in 30 years by April 2016.

Contracting out meant you paid a lower rate of NI (and therefore received or will receive a lower state pension) in exchange for a higher contribution to your private pension. 

• Find out more: should I top up my state pension?

State pension forecast

You should get a state pension forecast to see how much you're likely to get if you work up to your state pension age. If you’re on course to get a full state pension (even with some missing years), purchasing extra years won't boost the amount you'll get.

Topping up may be a good idea if you're close to state pension age and don't have enough qualifying years to get the full state pension. Those who've had career breaks, periods of low earnings or spent time abroad may also consider it. 

It can prove a lucrative exercise if it’s right for you. Each full year of NI contributions represents 1/35th of the full state pension, so adding one year could increase your income by £6.58 weekly or £342.09 annually, based on the 2025-2026 rates. This means the top-up would pay for itself in two to three years.

Where to get advice

Finding out if topping up is in your interests is a vital first step. 

The government's online service, and the Future Pension Centre (0800 731 0175 –  if you're yet to reach state pension age) or the Pension Service (0800 731 0469 –  if you're already receiving the state pension) should initially be consulted to determine whether paying for extra NI years will increase your state pension entitlement.

• Find out more: the pros and cons of topping up the state pension

How to top up if you have yet to reach state pension age

If you are yet to get the state pension, you can pay voluntary contributions online through the check your state pension forecast service.

To use the government's online tool, log in with your Government Gateway details or register for an account.

Once logged in, you'll be able to see which years have NI contribution gaps, the cost of filling the gaps with voluntary payments, and how much doing so would boost your state pension.

You can choose which years you would like to fill, and pay securely for the top-up via bank transfer or open banking. 

Most working-age users can access the online service without calling HMRC or DWP, including those abroad who want to pay for UK residency years.

If you do want to discuss your situation over the phone, you can contact the Future Pension Centre on 0800 731 0175.

Topping up if you’re over state pension age

Even if you're already receiving the state pension, you can pay to fill gaps in your record to increase how much you get.

However, the online service isn’t available for state pension recipients, self-employed individuals or those abroad with gaps from working overseas.

If you can’t use the online service or prefer to speak to someone, you can check your NI record and make payments by contacting the Pension Service on 0800 731 0469.

The article was first published on 17 January 2025 and has since been updated.