How to Check Your State Pension Forecast and National Insurance Record
7 July 2026 · 3 min read
The state pension you'll eventually receive isn't automatic or fixed for everyone — it depends on your National Insurance (NI) record, and checking it early gives you time to fix any gaps that could otherwise reduce what you get. See our state pension guide for how the amount itself is calculated.
Where to check your forecast
The quickest way is the "Check your State Pension forecast" service on GOV.UK, accessed via your Government Gateway account. It shows your forecast state pension amount based on your National Insurance record to date, an estimate of what you're on track to receive if you keep contributing, and your state pension age.
What the forecast actually tells you
The forecast shows how many qualifying years of National Insurance contributions you currently have, how many more you need to reach the full new state pension, and whether you have any gaps in your record. It's worth checking this well before retirement, ideally years in advance, so there's time to do something about any shortfall.
What counts as a "qualifying year"
A qualifying year is generally one where you paid (or were credited with) enough National Insurance — through employment, self-employment, or certain benefits like Child Benefit or Carer's Allowance — during that tax year. You typically need a minimum number of qualifying years to get any state pension at all, and a higher number of years for the full amount.
Common reasons for gaps
Gaps commonly happen from periods of low income, unemployment without claiming relevant benefits, time spent living or working abroad, or time out of paid work for caring responsibilities without claiming the National Insurance credits you may have been entitled to. Some of these gaps are fixable retroactively; others are not, which is exactly why checking early matters.
Can you fill gaps?
In many cases, yes — you can usually pay voluntary National Insurance contributions to fill gaps in your record, which can increase your eventual state pension. Whether this is worthwhile depends on the cost of filling the gap versus the increase to your pension over your expected retirement, so it's worth doing the sums (or getting guidance) rather than assuming it's automatically a good deal in every case.
Check for unclaimed credits first
Before paying to fill a gap, check whether you were entitled to National Insurance credits you never claimed — for example, for a period of caring for a child under Child Benefit, or for certain unemployment or disability benefits. Claiming these retroactively, where possible, can fix a gap without paying anything.
What to do if you find a shortfall
If your forecast shows you're on track for less than the full state pension, options generally include: continuing to work and pay National Insurance in the years you have left before state pension age, claiming any NI credits you're entitled to but haven't claimed, or paying voluntary contributions for specific gap years. MoneyHelper offers free, impartial guidance if you want help weighing these up.
This is general information, not personalised financial advice. Rules and allowances change, and your right decision depends on your own circumstances — for anything that affects your money long-term, it is worth checking the current figures on GOV.UK or speaking to a regulated financial adviser (MoneyHelper offers free, impartial guidance).
Common questions
Do I need to do anything if my forecast already shows the full amount?+
Generally no, though it is still worth rechecking periodically, especially if your working situation changes, since future gaps could still reduce what you eventually receive.
How far in advance should I check my forecast?+
As early as possible — ideally years before you plan to retire, since fixing gaps (especially by paying voluntary contributions) is easier to plan for with plenty of notice, and some options may only be available for a limited number of past years.
Is paying voluntary National Insurance contributions always worth it?+
Not automatically — it depends on the cost of the specific gap year versus how much extra state pension it would add, and how many years you expect to draw the state pension for. Working out the sums, or getting guidance, is worth doing before paying.
Can I check someone else’s state pension forecast for them?+
No — the online forecast service requires the individual to log in with their own Government Gateway account, since it shows personal National Insurance records.
Does the forecast account for future NI contributions I plan to make?+
It typically shows both your position based on your record to date and an estimate assuming you continue contributing as expected until state pension age, so check which figure you are looking at.
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