Extension of deadline for payment of voluntary national insurance contributions to increase new state pension entitlement

DWP advises that people now have until 5 April 2025 to fill in gaps in their national insurance record from April 2006

The DWP has announced an extension of the deadline for payment of voluntary national insurance contributions to increase entitlement to the new state pension.

Since April 2013, the government has permitted people to retrospectively build their national insurance contributions record from April 2006 through voluntary contributions as part of transitional arrangements introduced alongside the new state pension. Having extended the original deadline for making contributions from 5 April 2023 to 31 July 2023 three months ago, Financial Secretary to the Treasury Victoria Atkins has today issued a written statement announcing –

'The government intends to extend the deadline for eligible individuals to retrospectively fill gaps in their National Insurance record for the period covering April 2006 to April 2016. The current 31 July 2023 deadline will be extended to 5 April 2025.

This extension will also apply to contributions relating to all years which would reach their payment deadline before 5 April 2025, including tax years 2016 to 2017 and 2017 to 2018. All relevant voluntary national insurance contributions payments will be accepted at the rates applicable in 2022 to 2023 until 5 April 2025.'

However, while making voluntary contributions may lead to increased state pension, the DWP warns –

'Paying voluntary contributions does not always increase your state pension. Before starting the process, eligible individuals with gaps in their national insurance record from April 2006 onwards should check whether they would benefit from filling those gaps.'

NB – the DWP advises that the extension will mean that men born after 5 April 1951 or women born after 5 April 1953 have more time to check their records and decide whether to pay voluntary contributions to make up for gaps they may have in their national insurance record from April 2006.

For more information, see Deadline for voluntary National Insurance contributions extended to April 2025 from gov.uk