N.I contributions, state pension

moneybags1957

My wife was born in 1958 (shhh don't tell anybody) she has 27 years paid up N.I cons,including those added for raising our child. How many years do you now need for a full pension, is it 35?
Don't say ring the Future Pension Centre as I just hung on the phone forever.
Also she currently can buy/ makeup 4 missing years, do I have to ring the tax office or can you download the form online because I cannot for the life of me find a link to do such.
Sorry for double post, I posted in the wrong forum initially.

MyOnlyPost

It changes regularly but is currently 30 years

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

Don't buy any years contributions until just before you retire. God forbid anything should happen but if you pay for the extra years and then die before retiring it is money wasted

MyOnlyPost

Just realised that's a cahced page before recent changes. It is now 35 years, proving my earlier point

https://www.gov.uk/new-state-pension/how-its-calculated

There are other ways to get NI credits if you qualify, the most pertinent would be if cared for a grandchild under 12 so that the parent could work, she could then claim the NI credits that the parent didn't get

moneybags1957

I thought you could only go back 6 years

xylophone

Has your wife obtained a new state pension statement?

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

Use this service to find out:

how much State Pension you could get (this amount is also known as your State Pension forecast)
when you can get it
how to increase it, if you can

https://www.gov.uk/new-state-pension/eligibility

molerat

Due to the introduction of the new pension you can currently buy back to 2006. No rush to pay, you have until at least 5 April 2019 whilst you explore your situation. https://www.gov.uk/pay-voluntary-class-3-national-insurance
Have you had an up to date on line forecast ?

xylophone

And see http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/pensions/article-3535618/STEVE-WEBB-Buying-ups-paying-missing-NI-boost-state-pension.html

https://www.royallondon.com/Global/documents/GoodWithYourMoney/TOPPING-UP-YOUR-STATE-PENSION-GUIDE.pdf