State Pension Top-Up Calculator
Should you buy back missing National Insurance years? See the cost, the extra pension you'd get for life, and how quickly it pays for itself, an MSE flagship calculation that can be worth thousands.
Estimate only. This is an estimate for information only, not financial or pensions advice. Always check your own NI record and forecast before buying back any years.
Enter your missing years
The cost to buy back, the extra pension you'd get for life, and the break-even point appear here as you type.
How buying back a National Insurance year works
You normally need 35 qualifying National Insurance years for the full new State Pension. If your record has gaps, time abroad, unemployment, low earnings, or years before some benefits automatically counted, you can usually pay a flat voluntary contribution to fill them. Each year added is worth roughly 1/35 of the full new State Pension for the rest of your life, index-linked under the pensions triple lock. Because the payback period is typically only around two and a half years of retirement, and the State Pension is paid for as long as you live, this is one of the highest-value purchases most people over 40 can make, but always check your own NI record and forecast first, since some years may already be free to fill.