Topping up my pension

Marymary1

I am currently claiming my pension but it’s not the full amount. I am 68 and have 50 years full contributions, however my last employer was a school where we were opted out until 2016 and then on to non opted out contributions. 

I started paying my contributions at the school on 12/01/1998 and left 31/0812019 so had 18 years opted out and 7 years opted in. 

Plus I was opted in in all my previous employment. A further 25 years. 

To sum up I have 32 years opted in and 18 opted out. How many years will I need to pay to get a full pension? 

p00hsticks

It doesn't really work like that.
Contracted in and contracted out (not opted in an out) years both count equally as 'full' years for pension calculations - as do those bought voluntarily or gained via entitlement to various benefits. .
 
What differs is each individual's 'starting amount' when the new State Pension was introduced in April 2016, when deductions may have been made if you'd been contracted out and so paid a lower rate of NI. 
    
Do you have any years between 2016-17 (inclusive) and the year you reached State Pension Age (exclusive) that aren't currently full ? 

If so, you can make a voluntary contribution to fill them and each year will add £5.82 to your weekly pension up to the maximum £203.85. If you don't have any gaps, them I'm afraid you won't be able to increase it above what you currently get, although it's likely as you worked after April 2016 that you are getting more than you would have if the new State Pension hadn't been introduced. ,  

Silvertabby

When did you reach SPA?  With your history, only post 2016 NI years will add to your State pension, but it looks like you may not have had enough time between retirement and SPA to be able to get even 1 year of voluntary NI in.

molerat

It is a bit more complicated than that.  How much do you currently get per week ? Do you have any gaps in your NI record from 2016-17 onwards.

In simple terms £203.85 minus your current amount  divided by £5.82 gives the number of years you need to reach the full amount.  You need that number of post 2016 gaps to b able to reach the max.

Marymary1

I have worked from 17 until I was 65 I had to wait 1 year to get my state pension at 66, I have checked the DWP site which tells me I have paid in for 50 full years so I think there isn’t an opportunity to top up anything if I can’t top my contracted out years. Thank you all for the information. I will just accept my pension as it stands. 

molerat

Your NI record will clearly show as "Year not full" if it is available to fill.