National Insurance gap

Ryecroft

Hi Folks
I've been through the gov uk national insurance checker. I have a one week gap in 2017-18 between claiming benefits during medical treatment and returning to work.

The checker says;

National Insurance credits: 51 weeks

These may have been added to your record if you were ill/disabled, unemployed, caring for someone full-time or on jury service.

 Pay a voluntary contribution of £15.85 by 5 April 2025. This shortfall may increase after 5 April 2025.

and 

Pension will be £216.34 a week

Forecast if you contribute another year before 5 April 2038

 £221.20 a week

£221.20 is the most you can get

but when I get to the bit to pay the voluntary contribution;

You have 0 options to choose from.

 The information on this page is based on you continuing to contribute National Insurance until September 2038. Your options and the information on this page may change in the future.

Your current State Pension forecast is £221.20 a week.

This seems contradictory to me...anybody in the know who can explain? Do I need to pay the £15.85 to get £221.20 or will that be the pension if I pay to 68. (I have local government, civil service and NHS pensions too)

Cheers

QrizB

Ryecroft said:

This seems contradictory to me...anybody in the know who can explain?

So where it says:

Ryecroft said:

Pension will be £216.34 a week

It will say something like "based on your contributions up to 2024".
Are you currently working and paying NI? If you are, you should be ~3 weeks away from completing another year.

So when it goes on to say:

Ryecroft said:

Forecast if you contribute another year before 5 April 2038; £221.20 a week

£221.20 is the most you can get

The "another year" is 2024/25. You've very nearly earned your max. new state pension already.

Ryecroft said:

Do I need to pay the £15.85 to get £221.20 or will that be the pension if I pay to 68.

No and yes, respectively.

Secret2ndAccount

You only need one more year of contributions to get to your maximum pension. If you are working or childcaring or on certain benefits you will naturally accrue that year, and you have 13 years for that to happen. So, in all likelihood, you don't need to worry about that one year that fell short.
In the unlikely event that you don't expect to meet any of the above criteria, then you should pursue topping up the missing year. That means an hour on the phone, or possibly you can now do it online. It's not the same as paying annual voluntary NI contributions. If you are doing this, you should get on with it pronto.

Ryecroft

Brilliant, thanks

MallyGirl

Vinny531 said:

I have recently paid for a number of gaps in my National Insurance. I did this through the HMRC website. This was done on March 5th. However, although I have received a receipt by email, my NI records have not been updated yet. Should I be worried? The receipt says it should update after 3 to 5 days....Thanks

this was answered on your other post. Please don't post the same question multiple times