State Pension - Retirement Year contributions

SteveG787

My wife retires in August next year at age 60. She has a State Pension forecast that shows a Starting Amount of £124. She will have a full qualifying year National Insurance for tax year 16/17. We intend to buy Class 3 National Insurance for tax years 17/18, 18/19, 19/20 & 20/21 taking her State Pension up to £146.

I have some confusion over the final tax year before reaching pension age which will be in May 2021. I am sure I have read that the final years National Insurance contributions don't count towards your pension but I cannot find where I have read that and can't find any official statement to that effect on the Government website.

Am I right in that belief and if so can somebody point me to where it is documented ? I assume that if I am right we won't be able (or there will be no point) to buy Class 3 contributions for tax year 21/22.

greenglide

Yes they do. The final relevant year (FRY) is taken into account but often this is by revising the award if the data is not available - particularly if the SPa date is April or May.

You get nothing for the part year up to SPa which is unfortunate for people born in March!