Voluntary National Insurance

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1. Overview

If you do not pay National Insurance you may have gaps in your National Insurance record. This could be because you were:

  • employed but had low earnings
  • unemployed and were not claiming benefits
  • getting National Insurance credits for less than a full tax year
  • self-employed but did not pay contributions because of small profits
  • living or working outside the UK

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

Gaps can mean you will not have enough years of National Insurance contributions to either:

You may be able to pay voluntary contributions to fill any gaps and top up your State Pension.

Who cannot pay voluntary contributions

You cannot pay voluntary contributions if you:

  • do not have gaps in your National Insurance record - unless ²â´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™r±ð getting Class 3 credits and are eligible to pay Class 2 contributions
  • are a married woman or widow paying바카라 사이트¯reduced rate National Insurance
  • have passed the deadline for paying contributions for the period that has gaps

Check your record for gaps

Check your National Insurance record to find out:

  • if you have any gaps
  • how much it will cost to pay voluntary contributions
  • if you바카라 사이트™ll benefit from paying voluntary contributions
  • if you can pay online

If you have gaps in your National Insurance record, check if ²â´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™r±ð eligible for National Insurance credits before deciding to pay voluntary contributions.

Contact HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) if you think your National Insurance record is wrong.

Decide if you want to pay voluntary contributions

Voluntary contributions do not always increase your State Pension, for example if you were contracted out.

If ²â´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™r±ð below State Pension age, check your State Pension forecast to find out if you바카라 사이트™ll benefit from paying voluntary contributions. You can also contact the Future Pension Centre.

If you바카라 사이트™ve reached State Pension age, contact the Pension Service to find out if you바카라 사이트™ll benefit from voluntary contributions.

If ²â´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™r±ð living or working abroad and ²â´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™r±ð over, or within 6 months of reaching State Pension age, contact the International Pension Centre for advice.

Why you might want to pay voluntary contributions

You may want to pay voluntary contributions because:

  • ²â´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™r±ð close to State Pension age and do not have enough qualifying years to get or increase your State Pension
  • you know you will not be able to get the qualifying years you need to get the full State Pension during your working life
  • ²â´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™r±ð self-employed and have annual profits of less than £6,845
  • you live outside the UK, but you want to qualify for certain benefits or the State Pension
  • ²â´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™r±ð not eligible for National Insurance credits

Self-employed people with specific jobs

Some people do not have their Class 2 contributions treated as having been paid, but may want to pay voluntary contributions. These are:

  • examiners, moderators, invigilators and people who set exam questions
  • landlords who are eligible to pay Class 2 National Insurance
  • ministers of religion who do not receive a salary or stipend
  • people who make investments for themselves or others - but not as a business and without getting a fee or commission

2. Check which National Insurance contributions you can pay

Find out if you can pay voluntary National Insurance contributions based on things like your employment status, age and where you live.

If ²â´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™r±ð employed

You can pay Class 3 voluntary contributions if ²â´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™r±ð employed and the following are both true:

  • ²â´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™r±ð earning less than £125 a week
  • ²â´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™r±ð not eligible for National Insurance credits

If ²â´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™r±ð self-employed

You can pay Class 2 or Class 3 voluntary contributions if ²â´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™r±ð self-employed and you either have:

  • a gross income of £1,000 or less
  • a gross income over £1,000, but with profits of less than £6,845

If ²â´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™r±ð self-employed as an examiner, minister of religion, landlord or in an investment business, you can pay Class 2 or Class 3 voluntary contributions.

Voluntary contributions count towards your State Pension and some benefits. You can check which benefits your National Insurance contributions count towards.

If ²â´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™r±ð both employed and self-employed

You can check your State Pension forecast to find out if you바카라 사이트™ll benefit from paying voluntary contributions if you:

  • earn less than £125 from employment
  • have profits of less than £6,845 from self-employment

You can also contact the Future Pension Centre who will check if you have a gap in National Insurance contributions and tell you if it will benefit you to make a payment.

If ²â´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™r±ð above State Pension age, you바카라 사이트™ll need to contact the Pension Service to check if you have a gap. They will also be able to tell you if it will benefit you to make a payment.

If ²â´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™r±ð unemployed

You can pay Class 3 voluntary contributions if ²â´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™r±ð unemployed and the following are both true:

  • ²â´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™r±ð not claiming benefits
  • ²â´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™r±ð not getting National Insurance credits

If you live or work abroad (or have previously)

To pay Class 2 or Class 3 voluntary contributions you must have either:

  • previously lived in the UK for 3 years in a row
  • paid contributions or had Class 2 contributions treated as having been paid for at least 3 years

To pay Class 2 voluntary contributions both of the following must also apply:

  • you worked in the UK immediately before leaving
  • ²â´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™r±ð currently working abroad (or you worked while you were abroad)

Between November 2017 and April 2019, HMRC바카라 사이트™s guidance was incorrect. It said all these conditions must be true. If you did not apply or your application was refused because of the incorrect guidance, you may be able to pay at the original rates. Explain your situation when you apply.

If ²â´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™r±ð below State Pension age, you can check your State Pension forecast or contact the Future Pension Centre to find out if you바카라 사이트™ll benefit from paying voluntary contributions.

If ²â´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™r±ð above State Pension age, or will reach State Pension age in the next 6 months, contact the International Pension Centre. They will check if you have a gap in National Insurance contributions and tell you how much you need to pay.

If ²â´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™r±ð over State Pension age

If you바카라 사이트™ve reached State Pension age and want to fill in gaps in your National Insurance record you can pay:

3. Rates

The rates for the 2025 to 2026 tax year are:

  • £3.50 a week for Class 2
  • £17.75 a week for Class 3

You usually pay the current rate when you make a voluntary contribution.

When you pay different rates

If ²â´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™r±ð paying Class 2 contributions for the previous tax year or Class 3 contributions for the previous 2 tax years, you pay바카라 사이트¯the original rate for those tax years:

If ²â´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™r±ð paying for any earlier years, you바카라 사이트™ll pay the rate for 2025 to 2026.

If you have a specific type of job

You바카라 사이트™ll pay a special Class 2 rate if ²â´Ç³Ü바카라 사이트™r±ð:

  • a share fisherman
  • a volunteer development worker

4. How and when to pay

If you live in the UK, find out how to:

If you live or work outside the UK

If you live or work abroad (or have previously), find out what you need to do before paying voluntary National Insurance contributions.

Deadlines

You can only pay voluntary contributions for the past 6 years. The deadline is 5 April each year.

For example, you have until 5 April 2031 to make up gaps for the tax year 2024 to 2025.

You may have previously been able to pay for gaps going back more than 6 years - the deadline to pay was 5 April 2025.

You can read guidance or get help to decide if you should pay voluntary contributions to fill any gaps.

Getting help

Contact HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) if you have questions about voluntary National Insurance.