Number of NI Contribution Years

hivoodoodoll

Apologies if this has been asked before, but I can’t find it.

How many full years of national insurance contributions does someone need if they started work and paying NI contributions before 2016?

I’ve read various articles and some say 30 years and some say 35.

I’m 52 years old and have 29 years of full NI contributions. 

SouthCoastBoy

If you started work before 2016 there is no standard, everybody will have their personal number of years, the best thing to do is check your state pension online, https://www.gov.uk/check-state-pension

eastcorkram

As said above, there's no set answer. Can vary from around 28 to 48 ish. 

Shirker_Bee

Check this out. I have paid 47 years NI (in work - no gaps) but still have 3 more years to go before I qualify for my SP. 

Silvertabby

Shirker_Bee said:

Check this out. I have paid 47 years NI (in work - no gaps) but still have 3 more years to go before I qualify for my SP. 

48 for me (44 from working, 4 from paying post 2016 Class 3s).  But you, I, and many like us are the winners under the new pension scheme.  Had it not changed in 2016, our pensions would have forever been nearer the old basic rate instead of the full nSP.

Sarahspangles

The only way to know is to check your own contribution record. The HMRC app is pretty good. For me the number is/was 37 years.

Ayr_Rage

I get my pension next February.

I have been contracted out most of my working life and spent 2 years overseas working for a UK company for which I paid voluntary NI (1983-85)

I retired 7.5 years ago with 43 full years.

According to the gov.uk site I will be 6.58 years short, so that would be 49.58 required for the full pension.

As an aside, does anyone know when the magical "soon" date will actually arrive for missing years to be payable online via your personal account?

eastcorkram

I've checked mine this morning, as I had the pension wise phone call today, so thought I'd get an up to date figure. Turns out , for that call, it doesn't really matter. 

Anyway, still a bit  puzzled by it, as it's different to others I see. 

It states that I have two more years to pay, and that 2023 to 24 is not yet included. So there's that, plus 24 to 25. 

I reach 66 in 2025. But it looks like those two years add nothing to the forecast, then confusingly says, I need to continue to contribute, in order to reach that forecast.

Also , where you'd expect it to show what I'd get by April 2025, it says 2016.

It says I can increase it, by buying one of the missing years, and doing so before April 2025. Of the missing years, the only one available to buy is 2006-7 for £824. 

xylophone

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/79878096/#Comment_79878096

eastcorkram

xylophone said:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/79878096/#Comment_79878096

So in a way, it's wrong to say I need to contribute to reach the forecast? Leaving aside 2006-7. 

I'm aware I need to pay NI until state pension age . 

molerat

eastcorkram said:

xylophone said:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/79878096/#Comment_79878096

So in a way, it's wrong to say I need to contribute to reach the forecast? Leaving aside 2006-7. 

I'm aware I need to pay NI until state pension age . 

Yes but yours is a pretty unusual niche situation that the computer was not properly programmed to deal with, already above the new maximum at April 2016 but could increase that amount.

Are you planning to fill that missing year ?