Check your State Pension forecast with new online tool
1st May 2024 
General 
CHW Accounting
Anyone with gaps in their national insurance payments dating back to 2006 can now check online to see if they need to make additional contributions.
The Check your State Pension forecast online tool is now live and is a joint service run by HMRC and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
The handy tool which can be found at www.gov.uk/check-state-pension, calculates whether any outstanding contributions are needed to ensure that you will receive the full state pension when you retire.
For those born from 1 April 1960, the state pension age is set to rise to 67 years between 2026 and 2028, and then to 68 years between 2044 and 2046.
What does the tool do?
The tool allows most people under state pension age to view gaps in their NI record and pay voluntary contributions to fill those gaps if it will benefit them.
It shows taxpayers how much their state pension could increase and details of the voluntary NI contributions they would need to pay to achieve this.
Users can choose which years they would like to pay to fill and then pay securely through the service. They will then receive confirmation that their payment has been received and that their NI record will be updated.
What is the deadline for paying voluntary NI contributions?
Last year, the government extended the deadline to pay voluntary NI contributions to 5 April 2025 for those affected by new state pension transitional arrangements. This covers tax years from 6 April 2006 to 5 April 2018.
From 6 April 2025, people will only be able to pay voluntary contributions for the previous six tax years, in line with normal time limits.
Voluntary contributions are not guaranteed to increase your state pension
HMRC has warned that paying voluntary contributions will not always increase your state pension, but with this tool, everyone can check whether they could be better off in retirement before making any additional NI payments.
How do I use the service?
Taxpayers will need to login to the new digital service using their Personal Tax Account login details or through the HMRC app. Those without an online HMRC account can register on www.gov.uk.
Why has this service been introduced now?
Nigel Huddleston, financial secretary to the Treasury, said: ‘Having peace of mind when planning for retirement is crucial to ensure people can enjoy later life. That’s why HMRC has launched this new online service, making a real difference for thousands of pensioners in their retirement while providing certainty to those in their middle years and those still planning ahead.’
It’s in everyone’s interest to check their state pension forecast and to take a look at how they could improve it and so this new tool is very welcome.
If you need our help or advice, get in touch at hello@chw-accounting.co.uk
This article is for general guidance only. It provides an outline, and may not include points which are important to your situation. You should not depend on this blog without taking advice based on the full facts of your case. The information given was correct at the time of publication.
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