The short answer
How to check your UK State Pension forecast and National Insurance record in 2026/27, identify gaps, credits and whether voluntary payments may help.
The fastest way to understand your UK retirement position is to check two linked records: your State Pension forecast and your National Insurance record. The forecast shows the State Pension you could receive, when you can get it and whether there may be ways to increase it. The NI record shows qualifying years, credits and gaps.
HMRC’s September 2026 campaign encouraged people to check their forecast through the HMRC app or GOV.UK. A gap is not automatically a problem and paying voluntary National Insurance is not automatically good value. Check whether you already qualify for credits, whether a year counts under transitional rules and whether the payment actually increases your forecast before paying.
Use the State Pension Calculator for an indicative planning scenario only. It cannot access your personal NI record or confirm whether a voluntary payment will increase your entitlement.
Check the forecast and the record
A gap is not automatically a missed pension year
Check value before paying
What a State Pension forecast tells you
The GOV.UK forecast service can show:
- how much State Pension you could receive;
- when you can claim it;
- whether you can increase it; and
- how paying voluntary contributions might change the forecast.
The result is personal. It uses your NI record, age and the applicable State Pension rules. Do not replace the forecast with a simple “35 years equals the full pension” assumption: pre-2016 records, contracting out and transitional calculations can mean that more or fewer years are relevant to your individual result.
What the National Insurance record shows
The separate NI record service can show:
- contributions paid up to the start of the current tax year;
- National Insurance credits received;
- years that do not currently count as qualifying years;
- whether voluntary contributions may be available; and
- whether the service estimates that paying them could improve your forecast.
The record is not necessarily a final answer for every historic issue. HMRC says some records, including certain Isle of Man contributions, are handled separately. If an employment, credit or overseas period is missing, gather evidence before assuming that the year must be purchased.
How to check your forecast online
- Open the official State Pension forecast service.
- Sign in using the available GOV.UK account route and complete any identity checks.
- Record the projected amount, State Pension age and any “increase” or voluntary-payment message.
- Open the linked NI record and list each apparent gap by tax year.
- Compare the record with payslips, P60s, benefit letters, childcare or caring history and overseas documents.
- Use the official service or Future Pension Centre before paying a voluntary contribution.
If you cannot use the online service, GOV.UK lists other routes, including a BR19 postal forecast application for people who are more than 30 days from State Pension age. People already receiving or deferring State Pension should use the Pension Service or International Pension Centre as appropriate.
Why a gap may not need a payment
An apparent gap can have several explanations:
| Record issue | What to check |
|---|---|
| No employment contribution shown | Whether payroll reporting or an employer record is missing |
| Time out of work | Whether NI credits were awarded for unemployment, illness or another benefit |
| Caring or childcare period | Whether a credit or historic protection applies |
| Self-employment year | Whether the relevant profit and Class 2 rules apply |
| Overseas work | Whether an international agreement or foreign record affects entitlement |
| Pre-2016 record | Whether transitional and contracting-out calculations apply |
Paying Class 3 without checking these points can waste money or fail to improve the forecast. Correct a missing record or claim an available credit where that is the appropriate route.
When voluntary contributions may help
GOV.UK says voluntary contributions may help fill gaps, but they do not always increase State Pension. The online service can indicate whether you are eligible, whether a payment may benefit you and what it could cost.
For ordinary Class 3 payments, GOV.UK says you can generally pay for gaps in the previous six tax years, with a 5 April annual deadline. Older gaps, overseas residence and special extension rules can have different conditions. Do not use the ordinary six-year rule as a guarantee that an older year is unavailable or available.
Before paying, check:
- the tax year of the gap;
- whether the year is already qualifying or partially qualifying;
- whether credits or an employer correction can fill it;
- your State Pension age and expected retirement date;
- whether the forecast increases after payment; and
- whether another contribution class or international route applies.
Online payment is not available to everyone
GOV.UK’s online Class 3 payment route has eligibility conditions. For example, the online forecast payment route is not available in the same way to everyone who is self-employed or has lived or worked abroad. If you fall outside the online route, use the relevant official guidance or contact the Future Pension Centre, Pension Service or International Pension Centre before paying.
After a payment, the NI record and Personal Tax Account may not update instantly. GOV.UK says an online payment can take up to five working days to update the record, while other payment methods can take longer. Keep the payment reference and confirmation.
Overseas records and voluntary NI
People who have lived or worked abroad should not rely on the ordinary UK gap workflow alone. The country, contribution history, social-security agreement and date of State Pension age can affect both entitlement and the route for voluntary payments.
Check the forecast first and then use the dedicated overseas guidance or International Pension Centre. A UK payment may not be the best or only way to protect the eventual record.
What to do if the record looks wrong
Create a year-by-year evidence file before contacting HMRC or another pension service:
- employer name, dates and P60 or payslip evidence;
- benefit, childcare or caring evidence;
- self-employed registration and contribution records;
- overseas employment or social-security statements;
- correspondence about a previous NI correction; and
- the date and copy of the forecast and NI record.
Ask for the specific record correction or explanation. Do not pay a voluntary contribution merely to make the display look complete.
The cheapest-looking gap is not necessarily the best one to fill
The forecast must show that a payment increases your entitlement. Check credits, transitional rules, contracting-out history and overseas records first; GOV.UK expressly warns that voluntary contributions do not always increase State Pension.
A practical annual review
Review the record once a year and after a major change such as leaving work, starting self-employment, taking time to care for a child, moving abroad or reaching State Pension age planning milestones. Save a dated copy of the forecast because the result can change when HMRC updates the record or when legislation and contribution years change.
Compare the cost with the extra income
If the official service indicates that a voluntary payment may help, make a simple break-even worksheet before paying. Record the contribution cost, the expected increase in weekly or annual State Pension, the date the increase would begin and the time needed to recover the payment. Then stress the decision for a shorter and longer retirement. This is only a cash-flow comparison: it does not replace the official forecast and it does not capture every tax, benefit, inheritance or inflation consequence.
Do not calculate the benefit from a generic “one year buys X” figure. The value can depend on whether the year is already partly qualifying, the person's record, the applicable contribution class and the State Pension calculation. The official forecast and confirmation from the relevant pension service are stronger evidence than a social-media table or an old article. A payment that looks cheap may have no effect if the forecast is already at the available entitlement.
Keep the payment decision separate from an investment decision. Buying a qualifying year can provide an income entitlement under the State Pension rules, while keeping the money in a savings or investment account preserves access but carries different return and risk characteristics. Compare the household's emergency reserve, debt, health, expected retirement date and other guaranteed income. Do not use pension money needed for an imminent expense merely because a voluntary contribution appears attractive.
Evidence for credits and corrections
If a year is missing, identify whether the correction belongs with an employer, HMRC, the Department for Work and Pensions or another official body. An employer may need to correct payroll reporting; a carer or parent may need to establish a credit; an overseas worker may need the International Pension Centre; and a self-employed record may need a different contribution review. Send the evidence through the route that owns the record rather than paying Class 3 as a substitute for a correction.
For each disputed year, write down the tax year, the apparent status, the evidence held, the organisation contacted, the date of contact and the response. Keep the original forecast and a later copy after the record changes. If the official display still conflicts with payslips or credit evidence, ask for a written explanation before making a payment. A complete-looking online record is not the same as a correct entitlement calculation.
Approaching the deadline safely
An annual 5 April deadline can create pressure, particularly when a person is considering several historic years. Confirm the deadline, payment amount, payment reference and eligible years in the official service before sending money. Allow time for a bank transfer or alternative payment method, and retain proof that identifies the tax year being paid. Do not assume that a payment made near the deadline will update the forecast immediately.
If the service gives a different answer after a record correction, use the corrected forecast for the final decision. If you have already paid and the record does not update within the stated processing period, contact the relevant official service with the reference rather than making a duplicate payment. Review the record again after the payment has been posted and save the updated forecast.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I check my State Pension forecast?
How do I check gaps in my National Insurance record?
Should I pay every NI gap?
How far back can I pay Class 3 voluntary NI?
Does a contracted-out year count?
How long does an NI payment take to appear?
How many qualifying years do I need for the new State Pension?
Why does my forecast say voluntary payments may not help?
Related reading: the State Pension 2026/27 guide, the Voluntary National Insurance Abroad guide and the State Pension Calculator.
Official sources
Related Guides
Director Pension vs Dividends UK 2026/27 — Company Planning
Compare employer pension contributions with dividends for a UK limited-company director: company cash, tax rules, annual allowance, access and practical checks.
Foreign Pension Tax in the UK 2026/27 — Reporting & Relief
How UK residents report overseas pension income in 2026/27, check treaty rules, claim foreign tax relief and handle lump sums.
Pension Allowance Calculator UK 2026/27
Use a UK pension allowance calculator to test Annual Allowance, carry forward, tapering, MPAA, pension input and tax-relief limits for 2026/27.
Review notes and assumptions
Reviewed
2026-09-20
Assumptions
- This guide explains the official forecast and National Insurance record services available during the 2026/27 tax year; the individual forecast and record shown after sign-in control.
- A gap is not automatically worth buying. Credits, transitional rules, contracted-out history, overseas records and the forecast calculation can change whether a voluntary contribution increases entitlement.
- The guide does not provide personalised pension or investment advice and does not assume a future State Pension rate.