The full new State Pension is £241.30 a week in 2026/27 (about £12,547.60 a year). You normally need 35 qualifying years of National Insurance (NI) for the full amount, and a minimum of 10 qualifying years to get any new State Pension at all. If your forecast looks lower than you expected, it is often because of a fixable error in your NI record, and some of those fixes cost nothing.
This guide shows you how to check your forecast and NI record on GOV.UK, how to read the figure, the common reasons a forecast comes out too low, and exactly how to query or correct a wrong year with HMRC. For buying back missing years, see our separate guide to voluntary National Insurance and State Pension gaps.
How much is the State Pension in 2026/27?
Both the new and old State Pension rose by 4.8% from 6 April 2026 under the triple lock (the earnings element this year), set out in the Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order 2026. Here are the figures you need when reading your forecast.
| Item (2026/27) | Figure |
|---|---|
| Full new State Pension (reached pension age on or after 6 April 2016) | £241.30 a week (about £12,547.60 a year) |
| Full basic State Pension (old system, pension age before 6 April 2016) | £184.90 a week |
| Qualifying years for the full new State Pension | 35 |
| Minimum qualifying years for any new State Pension | 10 |
| Rough value of one qualifying year | about £6.89 a week (about £358 a year) |
| Class 3 voluntary rate | £18.40 a week |
| Class 2 voluntary rate (where available) | £3.65 a week |
| Normal window to fill gaps | last 6 tax years |
As a rough guide, one qualifying year is worth about £241.30 ÷ 35, which is roughly £6.89 a week (about £358 a year). Treat that as an approximation rather than an exact statutory amount, because your actual figure depends on your whole record.
How do I check my State Pension forecast and NI record?
You can check both for free on GOV.UK. Sign in with your Personal Tax Account or GOV.UK One Login, or use the HMRC app.
- State Pension forecast: shows your estimated weekly amount and how many more qualifying years you can add before your State Pension age. Check it at gov.uk/check-state-pension.
- National Insurance record: lists every tax year as "full" or "not full", shows gaps, and tells you whether a year can be filled. Check it at gov.uk/check-national-insurance-record.
If you have never set up online access, start with our walkthrough of the HMRC Personal Tax Account, which is the fastest route into both services.
What to look at first
Read the forecast headline figure, then scroll down for the all-important line that says whether you can still improve it and by when. Then open your NI record and scan year by year for anything marked "not full" or "year is not full" where you believe you were working or receiving credits.
How many qualifying years do you actually need?
Under the new State Pension you need 35 qualifying years for the full amount and at least 10 for any pension. A qualifying year can come from employment NI, self-employment, National Insurance credits (for example as a carer, parent or jobseeker), or voluntary contributions. For the fundamentals of how years are built, see National Insurance explained. You can also estimate your own contributions for a year with our National Insurance calculator.
Why does my State Pension forecast look too low?
A low forecast is usually one of four things, and not all of them cost money to fix. Work through these before you ever consider paying to top up.
1. The contracted-out (COPE) deduction
If you were contracted out of the additional State Pension before 6 April 2016 (through a workplace, personal or stakeholder pension), your "starting amount" carries a Contracted Out Pension Equivalent (COPE) deduction. That is why a forecast can sit below 35 times the flat rate even when you have many years. It is not an error: the missing amount is broadly reflected in the separate pension you were building while contracted out.
2. Missing carer or parent credits
Carers and parents who claimed Child Benefit may be owed Home Responsibilities Protection or NI credits that were never applied to their record. These corrections are free. If a year at home with children or caring responsibilities shows as "not full", it may simply be a credit that needs adding.
3. Old employer or PAYE errors
If a former employer failed to report or pay your NI correctly, a year can show as not full even though you were employed and paid in full. HMRC can correct the record where you provide evidence, such as payslips or P60s. This is why you should keep those documents: they are your proof.
4. Self-employed years where Class 2 was never registered
HMRC is writing to people (letter reference LCL2REG2MM) who declared self-employed or partnership income on a tax return for any year from 2015/16 up to 2023/24 but never registered to pay Class 2 NI, so those years may not count towards the State Pension. The scale is reported at around 800,000 people affected (a professional-body and press estimate, not an official gov.uk figure). If you get one of these letters, contact the DWP before deciding to pay, because paying does not always increase your pension. You can confirm the letter is genuine on GOV.UK. For how Class 2 and Class 4 work now, see self-employed National Insurance 2026/27.
How do I query or correct a wrong year with HMRC?
If a year looks wrong, follow this order:
- Confirm the year first. Open your NI record and note the exact tax year and what it says ("not full", "no contributions", or a part year).
- Gather evidence. Dig out payslips, P60s, P45s or award letters that show NI was paid or that you were entitled to a credit.
- Contact the right office. For employment and credit errors, call or write to HMRC's NI enquiries. For anything that affects the pension calculation itself, the Future Pension Centre (part of the DWP) can tell you whether paying will actually help.
- Keep a record. Note dates, names and reference numbers, and keep copies of everything you send.
HMRC can amend your record once it accepts the evidence, and the correction then flows through to your forecast.
How far back can you go? The deadlines
You can normally pay voluntary contributions to cover gaps for the last 6 tax years. The special extended window that briefly let people fill gaps all the way back to 6 April 2006 closed on 5 April 2025. Since 6 April 2025 you can generally only go back six years, so the sooner you check, the more of your record stays within reach. Correcting a genuine error (a missing credit or an employer mistake) is different from buying a year, and is not always bound by the same six-year limit, which is another reason to query errors promptly.
Worked example: how one corrected year lifts a forecast
Priya is 60 and planning ahead. Her forecast shows 31 qualifying years and a weekly figure of roughly £213.59 (31 × about £6.89), below the full £241.30.
- Checking her record, she spots a year marked "not full" from a job where an old employer under-reported her NI. She sends HMRC her P60 for that year.
- HMRC corrects the year. Her record moves to 32 qualifying years, lifting her forecast by about £6.89 a week (around £358 a year) to roughly £220.48, at no cost.
- With five years still until her State Pension age, she has time to add three more qualifying years. Reaching 35 years would take her to the full £241.30 a week.
One free correction was worth about £358 a year for life, and it also showed her exactly how many more years she needed. If a low-cost top-up might suit you, see our guide to the HMRC low earners pension top-up.
Free fixes versus paid contributions
Always look for a free fix first. A missing carer or parent credit, a COPE explanation that means your figure is already correct, or an employer and HMRC correction can all improve or explain your forecast without you paying a penny. Only once those are exhausted should you consider paying voluntary Class 3 (£18.40 a week) or, where you qualify, Class 2 (£3.65 a week). For self-employed Class 2 gaps, speak to the DWP before paying, because a top-up does not always raise the pension.
When will you get your State Pension? Age is rising
State Pension age is currently 66. It is rising from 66 to 67 between April 2026 and April 2028, which affects people born on or after 6 April 1960. Your forecast uses your personal State Pension age, so check the date shown against this timetable when you plan. Your forecast also tells you the latest tax year you can still add before you reach that age.
Frequently asked questions
How many years of National Insurance do I need for the full State Pension?
You normally need 35 qualifying years of National Insurance for the full new State Pension in 2026/27, which is £241.30 a week, and a minimum of 10 qualifying years to get any new State Pension at all.
Why is my forecast lower than £241.30 even though I have lots of years?
The most common reason is a contracted-out (COPE) deduction from being in a workplace or personal pension before 6 April 2016. Other causes are missing carer or parent credits, old employer PAYE errors, or self-employed years where Class 2 was never registered.
Can I fix a wrong year on my NI record for free?
Often yes. Missing Home Responsibilities Protection or carer and parent credits, and employer or HMRC reporting errors, can be corrected for free if you provide evidence such as payslips or P60s. Always check for a free fix before paying voluntary contributions.
How far back can I fill National Insurance gaps?
You can normally pay voluntary contributions for the last 6 tax years. The extended window that allowed people to fill gaps back to 6 April 2006 closed on 5 April 2025, so since then you can generally only go back six years.
Get help checking and fixing your record
Reading an NI record, decoding a COPE deduction and deciding whether a year is worth fixing can be fiddly, and the wrong move can waste money. If you want a second pair of eyes before you act, book a free call with Zmartly and we will help you check your forecast and plan the most cost-effective fix.
