The flat-rate state pension is expected to rise above £13,000 a year next April, yet one in eight people surveyed by HM Revenue and Customs has never checked what they will receive. That gap matters because individuals can still boost their entitlement in some cases, but changes to voluntary National Insurance payments mean the window for making up missing years has narrowed.
Under the current rules, the flat-rate state pension that applies to people who reached state pension age after April 2016 pays £241.30 a week, equal to £12,547.60 a year. Those who reached the age before April 2016 remain on the old basic state pension, which pays £184.90 a week, equal to £9,614.80 a year. The state pension increases each year by the higher of inflation, average wages, or 2.5%, which is why the flat-rate payment is projected to move above £13,000 next April.
To qualify for a full state pension, most people need 35 years of qualifying National Insurance contributions. Gaps can appear for reasons such as living abroad or taking time out to care for children or relatives. People who receive child benefit or carer’s allowance get National Insurance credits to help preserve entitlement. It is also possible to make voluntary contributions to fill shortfalls in a National Insurance record.
Since April 2025, voluntary payments can only be made to cover the previous six years of missing contributions, a change that emphasises why HMRC and advisers urge people to check forecasts well before retirement. The HMRC survey of 5,000 consumers found the most common reasons for not checking were feeling retirement is still far off, losing track of pension pots from past jobs, and worries about how career breaks affect entitlement. People aged 45 to 54 were the most likely group to have never looked at a forecast.
Individuals can view their state pension forecast using the HMRC mobile app or the official online state pension forecast webpage, but proving identity with an official photo ID is necessary. HMRC warns not to follow unsolicited links sent by email or text, which could be scams. For broader guidance, HMRC has launched a Tax Confident website, and the government-funded independent Money Helper offers a free retirement guidance tool to walk people through options.
“Whether retirement is decades away or just around the corner, I’d encourage everyone to check their forecast and see if there’s anything they can do now to boost their entitlement later,” said Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s chief customer officer. With the state pension due to rise and voluntary NI top-ups restricted to recent years, checking a forecast now is the practical step people can take to understand what they will receive and whether any action is possible to increase it.
