7 years short on State Pension. Can't see how to pay top up

quantum

According to my statement I have 7 years where it says they are not full. If I click on each year it says: 
"We are checking this year to see if it counts towards your pension. We’ll update your record when this is finished, you do not need to do anything".
It's said this for a few months and not changed.
The years are
2015 - 2016
2018 - 2024 
During this time I've been part-time self employed and earned mostly £10k per year. One year I earned £14k. 
I thought I'd be able to top up years online but can't find any button to do so. I have sent a message for Pension Team to call back. Amazing that they don't send you a message to say they've received your request. So I screenshot the form.
I did wonder whether I need to pay those years as my income was so low. 
Martin Lewis says "If your annual profit is between £6,725 and £11,908, you automatically build up entitlement to benefits (including State Pension)."
Can anyone advise please?

molerat

Those "checking" years are generally where you were registered self employed and did not pay class 2.  The only way to get them unlocked is to speak to HMRC.  The freebies are only a recent thing https://www.litrg.org.uk/working/self-employment/nic-self-employed

quantum

molerat said:

Those "checking" years are generally where you were registered self employed and did not pay class 2.  The only way to get them unlocked is to speak to HMRC.  The freebies are only a recent thing https://www.litrg.org.uk/working/self-employment/nic-self-employed

Thanks, I am unsure what you meant by unlocked. I did try many times to speak to them before 6th April but in the end had to leave a request for them to call me back. i hope it was registered with them as the system didn't ask for an email and so there was no confirmation - which I think is stupid.

molerat

I am unsure what you meant by unlocked.

Those years simply do not exist, they are not full and they are not fillable.  HMRC need to remove that tag so they become fillable.

quantum

molerat said:

I am unsure what you meant by unlocked.

Those years simply do not exist, they are not full and they are not fillable.  HMRC need to remove that tag so they become fillable.

Right, thanks. I'm amazed I've not heard that before even from Martin himself. I deffo need them to get back to me then

molerat

quantum said:

molerat said:

I am unsure what you meant by unlocked.

Those years simply do not exist, they are not full and they are not fillable.  HMRC need to remove that tag so they become fillable.

Right, thanks. I'm amazed I've not heard that before even from Martin himself. I deffo need them to get back to me then

It took a while to figure it out a few years back when someone could not make the full pension going forward and were not given the option of increasing with past years even though there were not full years.  It was because the past years were as yours and the system couldn't see them.