NI Gap Calculator 2026/27
Gaps in your National Insurance record reduce your state pension. You can fill gaps by paying voluntary Class 3 NI contributions at £956.80 per year in 2026/27. Each year you buy adds approximately £6.89 per week to your state pension for life, meaning the cost typically pays for itself within three years of claiming. This calculator shows you the total cost of filling your gaps, the extra weekly and annual state pension you will receive, and how long it takes to break even.
How NI gap filling works
Your state pension is based on your National Insurance record. You need 35 qualifying years to receive the full new state pension of £241.30 per week in 2026/27. If you have gaps from periods when you were not working, not claiming benefits, or living abroad, you may be able to fill those gaps by paying voluntary Class 3 NI contributions.
The 2026/27 Class 3 rate
One qualifying year costs £956.80 in 2026/27 (£18.40 per week). Each year you buy adds 1/35th of the full state pension, which at current rates is £6.89 per week or £358.37 per year. The cost pays for itself in approximately 2.7 years of claiming, making voluntary contributions one of the best guaranteed returns available to people approaching retirement.
Which years can you fill?
You can normally only fill gaps for the previous six tax years. In 2026/27 this means you can fill gaps back to 2020/21. A temporary window allowing people to fill gaps back to 2006/07 closed on 5 April 2025. If you did not take advantage of that window, you are limited to the standard six-year lookback. Check your NI record at gov.uk to see exactly which years are available and what each costs.
| Rate | 2026/27 value |
|---|---|
| Class 3 weekly rate | £18.40 |
| Class 3 annual cost (one year) | £956.80 |
| State pension uplift per year bought | £6.89/week | £358.37/year |
| Breakeven period | approximately 2.7 years |
| Years needed for full pension | 35 qualifying years |
| Minimum years for any pension | 10 qualifying years |
Frequently asked questions
Filling one qualifying year gap costs £956.80 in 2026/27, which is the Class 3 voluntary National Insurance rate of £18.40 per week multiplied by 52 weeks. You can normally only buy back the previous six tax years, so check your NI record on gov.uk to see which years are available to you.
Each qualifying year you add increases your state pension by 1/35th of the full new state pension rate. In 2026/27, the full rate is £241.30 per week, so each year adds approximately £6.89 per week, or £358.37 per year. This amount will also increase each April in line with the triple lock.
For most people, yes. At 2026/27 rates, one year costs £956.80 and adds £358.37 per year to your state pension. The cost pays for itself in approximately 2.7 years of claiming. Given that the average retirement lasts 20 or more years, the return is typically very strong. However, if you already have 35 or more qualifying years, or if you are unlikely to reach state pension age, paying may not be worthwhile.
You can normally fill gaps for the previous six tax years only. So in the 2026/27 tax year, you can fill gaps back to 2020/21. A temporary window that allowed people to fill gaps back to 2006/07 closed on 5 April 2025, so that extended opportunity has now passed. Check your NI record on the gov.uk personal tax account to see exactly which years you can fill.
Yes. Your National Insurance record is available free of charge on the gov.uk website through your personal tax account. Log in with a Government Gateway user ID and select Check your National Insurance record. This shows each tax year, whether it is a full qualifying year, any gaps, and the cost to fill each gap. You can also request a state pension forecast which shows how much you are on track to receive.
Disclaimer: This calculator provides estimates for guidance purposes only. It does not constitute financial advice. Always consult a regulated financial adviser for personal pension planning.