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If you do not pay National Insurance you may have gaps in your National Insurance record. This could be because you were:

• employed but had low earnings
• unemployed and were not claiming benefits
• getting National Insurance credits for less than a full tax year
• self-employed but did not pay contributions because of small profits
• living or working outside the UK

Gaps can mean you will not have enough years of National Insurance contributions to either:

• get a State Pension (you usually need at least 10 鈥榪ualifying years鈥�)
• qualify for certain benefits

You may be able to pay voluntary contributions to fill any gaps and top up your pension.

Who cannot pay voluntary contributions

You cannot pay voluntary contributions if you:

• do not have gaps in your National Insurance record - unless 测辞耻鈥檙别 getting Class 3 credits and are eligible to pay Class 2 contributions
• are a married woman or widow paying鈥�reduced rate National Insurance
• have passed the deadline for paying contributions for the period that has gaps

Check your record for gaps

Check your National Insurance record to find out:

• if you have any gaps
• how much it will cost to pay voluntary contributions
• if you鈥檒l benefit from paying voluntary contributions
• if you can pay online

If you have gaps in your National Insurance record, check if 测辞耻鈥檙别 eligible for National Insurance credits before deciding to pay voluntary contributions.

Contact HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) if you think your National Insurance record is wrong.

Decide if you want to pay voluntary contributions

Voluntary contributions do not always increase your State Pension, for example if you were contracted out.

If 测辞耻鈥檙别 below State Pension age, check your State Pension forecast to find out if you鈥檒l benefit from paying voluntary contributions. You can also contact the Future Pension Centre.

If you鈥檝e reached State Pension age, contact the Pension Service to find out if you鈥檒l benefit from voluntary contributions.

If 测辞耻鈥檙别 living or working abroad and 测辞耻鈥檙别 over, or within 6 months of reaching State Pension age, contact the International Pension Centre for advice.

Why you might want to pay voluntary contributions

You may want to pay voluntary contributions because:

• 测辞耻鈥檙别 close to State Pension age and do not have enough qualifying years to get or increase your State Pension
• you know you will not be able to get the qualifying years you need to get the full State Pension during your working life
• 测辞耻鈥檙别 self-employed and have annual profits of less than 拢6,725
• you live outside the UK, but you want to qualify for certain benefits or the State Pension
• 测辞耻鈥檙别 not eligible for National Insurance credits

Self-employed people with specific jobs

Some people do not have their Class 2 contributions treated as having been paid, but may want to pay voluntary contributions. These are:

• examiners, moderators, invigilators and people who set exam questions
• landlords who are eligible to pay Class 2 National Insurance
• ministers of religion who do not receive a salary or stipend
• people who make investments for themselves or others - but not as a business and without getting a fee or commission

Find out if you can pay voluntary National Insurance contributions based on things like your employment status, age and where you live.

If 测辞耻鈥檙别 employed

You can pay Class 3 voluntary contributions if 测辞耻鈥檙别 employed and the following are both true:

• 测辞耻鈥檙别 earning less than 拢123 a week
• 测辞耻鈥檙别 not eligible for National Insurance credits

If 测辞耻鈥檙别 self-employed

You can pay Class 2 or Class 3 voluntary contributions if 测辞耻鈥檙别 self-employed and you either have:

• a gross income of 拢1,000 or less
• a gross income over 拢1,000, but with profits of less than 拢6,725

If 测辞耻鈥檙别 self-employed as an examiner, minister of religion, landlord or in an investment business, you can pay Class 2 or Class 3 voluntary contributions.

Voluntary contributions count towards your State Pension and some benefits. You can check which benefits your National Insurance contributions count towards.

If 测辞耻鈥檙别 both employed and self-employed

You can check your State Pension forecast to find out if you鈥檒l benefit from paying voluntary contributions if you:

• earn less than 拢123 from employment
• have profits of less than 拢6,725 from self-employment

You can also contact the Future Pension Centre who will check if you have a gap in National Insurance contributions and tell you if it will benefit you to make a payment.

If 测辞耻鈥檙别 above State Pension age, you鈥檒l need to contact the Pension Service to check if you have a gap. They will also be able to tell you if it will benefit you to make a payment.

If 测辞耻鈥檙别 unemployed

You can pay Class 3 voluntary contributions if 测辞耻鈥檙别 unemployed and the following are both true:

• 测辞耻鈥檙别 not claiming benefits
• 测辞耻鈥檙别 not getting National Insurance credits

If you live or work abroad (or have previously)

To pay Class 2 or Class 3 voluntary contributions you must have either:

• previously lived in the UK for 3 years in a row
• paid contributions or had Class 2 contributions treated as having been paid for at least 3 years

To pay Class 2 voluntary contributions both of the following must also apply:

• you worked in the UK immediately before leaving
• 测辞耻鈥檙别 currently working abroad (or you worked while you were abroad)

If 测辞耻鈥檙别 below State Pension age, you can check your State Pension forecast or contact the Future Pension Centre to find out if you鈥檒l benefit from paying voluntary contributions.

If 测辞耻鈥檙别 above State Pension age, or will reach State Pension age in the next 6 months, contact the International Pension Centre. They will check if you have a gap in National Insurance contributions and tell you how much you need to pay.

If 测辞耻鈥檙别 over State Pension age

If you鈥檝e reached State Pension age and want to fill in gaps in your National Insurance record you can pay:

• Class 3 contributions
• Class 2 contributions if 测辞耻鈥檙别 eligible

The rates for the 2024 to 2025 tax year are:

• 拢3.45 a week for Class 2
• 拢17.45 a week for Class 3

You usually pay the current rate when you make a voluntary contribution.

When you pay different rates

If the gap in your National Insurance record was between 6 April 2016 and 5 April 2023, you鈥檒l pay the rates that applied in the 2022 to 2023 tax year:

• Class 2 rates
• Class 3 rates

After 5 April 2025, you may have to pay higher rates or be ineligible to pay. Find out more about how and when to pay.

If you have a specific type of job

You鈥檒l pay a special Class 2 rate if 测辞耻鈥檙别:

• a share fisherman
• a volunteer development worker

If you live in the UK, find out how to:

• pay Class 2 voluntary contributions
• pay Class 3 voluntary contributions

If you live or work outside the UK

If you live or work abroad (or have previously), find out what you need to do before paying voluntary National Insurance contributions.

Deadlines

You can usually only pay voluntary contributions for the past 6 years. The deadline is 5 April each year.

For example, you have until 5 April 2030 to make up for gaps for the tax year 2023 to 2024.

Pay older gaps in your record (deadline 5 April 2025)

You have until 5 April 2025 to pay for gaps in your National Insurance record that were more than 6 years ago.

If 测辞耻鈥檙别 a man born after 5 April 1951 or a woman born after 5 April 1953, then you can pay voluntary contributions to fill gaps between 2006 and 2018.

If you were born before these dates, you can fill gaps between 2016 and 2018.

After 5 April 2025, everyone will only be able to pay for voluntary contributions for the past 6 years.

You can read guidance or get help to decide if you should pay voluntary contributions to fill any gaps.

Getting help

Contact HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) if you have questions about voluntary National Insurance.