State pension - buying in extra credits?

andygb

From 1975 up to around 2004 I had an unbroken work life, where I contributed without break into the system. However, since then I have had a succession of temporary/contract work interspersed with periods of unemployment, some of which I claimed for and quite a lot which I did not.
How can I find out how much I have paid in, how do I top up if necessary to account for the blank periods (missed contributions), and how much does it cost to top up, to ensure that I receive the maximum state pension when I retire?
Cheers.

xylophone

Obtain a state pension statement.

https://www.gov.uk/check-state-pension

p00hsticks

xylophone wrote: »

Obtain a state pension statement.

https://www.gov.uk/check-state-pension

and to augment that, your NI record

https://www.gov.uk/check-national-insurance-record