State pension UK: Qualifying NI contribution rules explained – will your years count?
State pension payments require at least 10 years of contributions to be received and 35 years will be needed for the full amount of £175.20 per week. These NI years will need to be qualifying in nature and there are different rules for this for those who are working or not working.
It is possible to request a state pension forecast from the government which will tell the claimant how much state pension they’ll get.
Additionally, NI statements can be requested from HMRC to see if there’s any gaps in history.
Where gaps exist, people may be able to get NI credits or make voluntary contributions.
Voluntary contributions do not always guarantee an increase in state pension but the future pension centre can be contacted for guidance on this.
