Your state pension forecast tells you how much you’re on track to receive and when. Checking it regularly helps you spot gaps and take action before it’s too late. Here’s how to do it.
The State Pension forecast is one of the most valuable and underused tools available to UK adults. Yet the majority of people approach retirement without ever having checked it. Given that a single gap in your National Insurance record can be filled for as little as £900 and potentially add £330 per year to your pension for the rest of your life, the return on investment of spending 10 minutes checking your forecast can be extraordinary.
The earlier you check, the more options you have. Some gaps can only be filled within limited time windows, and certain voluntary NI contributions must be made before a deadline. If you’re within five years of State Pension age and haven’t checked your forecast, do it today.
How to Check Online
- Go to gov.uk/check-state-pension
- Sign in with Government Gateway or GOV.UK One Login
- You’ll need your National Insurance number (found on payslips, tax letters, or the HMRC app)
- The forecast loads within seconds
If you don’t have a Government Gateway account, you can create one — you’ll need:
- Your National Insurance number
- A recent payslip or P60, or a valid UK passport
- Your email address and phone number
What Your Forecast Shows
The forecast page includes several key pieces of information. A common point of confusion is that the forecast shows your current entitlement based on your NI record to date — not what you’ll eventually receive. If you have 20 years of contributions now but 15 more years of working ahead, your forecast will be lower than your final pension will be. This is normal.
| Section | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Forecast amount | Your estimated weekly/monthly/annual state pension |
| State Pension age | When you can start claiming |
| Qualifying years | How many years of NI contributions count |
| Gaps | Years where you didn’t pay enough NI |
| Years to contribute | How many more years you can add before State Pension age |
Understanding Your Forecast Amount
The full new State Pension in 2026/27 is £230.25 per week (£11,973 per year). To get the full amount, you need 35 qualifying years of National Insurance contributions.
| Qualifying years | Weekly pension | Annual pension | % of full pension |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 (minimum) | £65.79 | £3,421 | 29% |
| 15 | £98.68 | £5,131 | 43% |
| 20 | £131.57 | £6,842 | 57% |
| 25 | £164.46 | £8,552 | 71% |
| 30 | £197.36 | £10,263 | 86% |
| 35 (full) | £230.25 | £11,973 | 100% |
If you have fewer than 10 qualifying years, you won’t receive any new State Pension.
The table above illustrates why filling NI gaps can be so financially significant. Going from 30 qualifying years to 35 adds £32.89 per week — over £1,710 per year for life. If you retire at 67 and live to 87, that’s an additional £34,000 in total pension income. Against the current voluntary NI rate of £17.45 per week per year (around £907 per year filled), the payback period is typically under 18 months.
What Counts as a Qualifying Year
You get a qualifying year of NI if any of these apply:
| Route | How you qualify |
|---|---|
| Employment | Earn above the Lower Earnings Limit (£6,500/year in 2026/27) |
| Self-employment | Pay Class 2 NI (£3.45/week) |
| National Insurance credits | Claiming certain benefits — JSA, ESA, Universal Credit, Carer’s Allowance |
| Child Benefit | Claiming for a child under 12 (even if HICBC claws it back) |
| Voluntary contributions | Pay Class 3 NI (£17.45/week) to fill gaps |
A point many parents don’t realise: if you claimed Child Benefit during the years your children were under 12, those years automatically count as qualifying years — even if you were not working. If you didn’t claim Child Benefit because your household income was above the threshold, you may have years of missing NI credits. It’s worth checking whether you could have backdated a Child Benefit claim to unlock those qualifying years.
Common Gap Causes
- Living abroad without paying UK NI
- Taking time out for caring or studying
- Being unemployed without claiming benefits
- Earning between the Lower Earnings Limit and Primary Threshold
- Being self-employed but not paying Class 2 NI
It is important to note that not all gaps are worth filling. If your forecast already shows 35+ qualifying years, additional years won’t increase your State Pension (unless you have pre-2016 entitlement to Additional State Pension, which operates differently). Always check whether filling a gap will actually increase your forecast before paying.
How to Check Your NI Record
Your NI record shows every year and whether it’s a full year, partial year, or gap. This is separate from the forecast tool but linked from the same Government Gateway account. Together, the two tools give you a complete picture of where you stand and what you can do to improve your position.
- Go to gov.uk/check-national-insurance-record
- Sign in with the same Government Gateway account
- Review each year — look for years marked “not full” or “no record”
Each incomplete year will show whether:
- You can still fill it with voluntary contributions
- How much it would cost to fill
- The deadline to fill it
There are time limits on filling historical gaps. Generally, you can fill gaps going back six years. However, under a concession that was originally set to expire in April 2025 and may have been extended, some people were able to fill gaps going further back. Check the current rules at gov.uk or call the Future Pension Centre before assuming a deadline has passed.
When to Take Action
| Situation | Action |
|---|---|
| Forecast at full amount (£230.25/week) | No action needed — you’re on track |
| Forecast below full but still contributing | Check how many more years are needed to reach 35 |
| Gaps in recent years | Consider voluntary NI contributions — see our NI Gaps Guide |
| Over 35 qualifying years already | No benefit from extra years (unless you have pre-2016 entitlement) |
| Under 10 qualifying years near State Pension age | Urgently fill gaps to reach the 10-year minimum |
How Often to Check
Check your forecast at least:
- Annually if you’re over 50 or have a complex work history
- Every 2–3 years if you’re in stable employment
- Immediately after periods of career break, self-employment, or living abroad
- Before making voluntary NI payments to understand the impact
Alternative Ways to Get Your Forecast
| Method | Details |
|---|---|
| Online (recommended) | gov.uk/check-state-pension |
| Phone | Future Pension Centre: 0800 731 0175 (Mon-Fri 8am-6pm) |
| Post | Request form BR19 from HMRC |
| HMRC App | Shows some NI record information |