Checking your NI Credits

redout007

After Seeing Martins Show Last nght 25/10/2022 I contacted the National Insurance department on 0300 200 3500 (dont be put off by the options, this is the correct number)  but on generating my pensions report on https://www.gov.uk/check-national-insurance-record

I found several years missing.  Some were as far back as 1980/1 and 1981/2

Where I had some contributions, and all they could do was point me in the direction of the Benefit office where I was on benefit and signing on.  Supplementray benfir is not NI based he said.  They dont tell you that.

However, I was also at University in 1996/7 and 1997/8 again, Being in full-time education - you dont get any NI credits.

There was 1 or 2 other years that I could contribute to before April 2023, but was advised as I have 38 years of contibutions I wouldnt get any more pension, you can find your entitlement by signing in on https://www.tax.service.gov.uk/personal-account

Going down to Pensions, and click View your State Pension forecast

The max pension is £185.15 currectly, this may go up with the trible lock.  BUT YOU MAY NOT NEED TO CONTRIBUTE IF YOU HAVE PAID ENOUGH

mark55man

That's a helpful summary and well done for checking.  It sounds like you are fully paid up so the missing years aren't worth going back for even if you could.

Usual advise is just to be sure you are not just looking at the forecast maximum (which may require you to pay extra years) rather than what you would currently receive

Sorry your post didn't receive a lot of attention, but I think you didn't really need any help  

p00hsticks

redout007 said:

There was 1 or 2 other years that I could contribute to before April 2023, but was advised as I have 38 years of contibutions I wouldnt get any more pension, you can find your entitlement by signing in on https://www.tax.service.gov.uk/personal-account

For those of us who started our working lives prior to the introduction of the new State Pension in 2016, the actual number of years contributions is not particularly helpful as we fall under transitional rules and the exact number of years needed to qualify for the full new State Pension will vary from individual to individual. 
As you say, we need to all check our individual pension forecast to see our current entitlement and how many more years are needed to reach the maximum we can get. 
Check your State Pension forecast - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

And if we can access our forecast online via the Government Gateway (not everyone can pass the relevant ID checks) there is no need to phone as it is all visible online - both pension forecast and NI record.