NI gap years 2025

DWPrefuseNItopup

I telephoned the DWP in March 2025 to register my interest in buying 5 full and 1 part years NI gaps after seeing Martin Lewis' programme.

Despite a couple of telephone reminders when I was assured I would be contacted and subsequent letter dated 22/09/25 acknowledging that I had contacted DWP on 25 Mar 2025 I have not been allowed to claim my missing NI years.

The DWP never contacted me to tell me how to do so.

I wrote to them on 13 October 2025 querying this and my letter has been ignored.

I should explain during summer 2025 my wife who was a dialysis pateient for over 25 years became seriously ill and subsequently died on Feb 18 2026.

I have only now been able to find the time and will to raise this query again.

Is there any way, given that DWP wrote and acknowledged I had contacted by telephone on Mar 25th 2025, that I can purchase the missing years ?

DRS1

What years are you wanting to top up? Recent years can still be topped up - it is only the older ones which require you to have made contact before April 2025.

Will topping up actually make a difference to your state pension? Have you checked your forecast? Do you have online access to do that? If not it may make sense to get it as some topping up could be done online (assuming you haven't been overseas).

If you know your forecast publish it on here (together with the gaps in your NI record) and some people may be able to tell you if you need to top up and if so how many years (and what flavour of year).

Perhaps the best course would be to call them. Assuming you are under SPA the number to call would be 0800 731 0175.