A new digital service has been launched that makes it easier to check if you have any gaps in your National Insurance (NI) record that may affect your State Pension entitlement.
The service is called Check Your State Pension forecast and can be accessed via GOV.UK or the HMRC app. You will need to register for or login to your Personal Tax Account to find the service.
The forecast details your NI record by tax year and identifies if there are any years that are not counting towards your State Pension entitlement. The service also shows the details of any voluntary NI contributions that you could make to increase your forecast.
The service allows you to choose which years you would like to pay voluntary contributions for and then takes you through to a secure payment facility to make payment.
If you think you may have gap years in your contributions, it is important to check sooner rather than later. Because of new State Pension transitional arrangements, the deadline for paying voluntary NI contributions was extended to 5 April 2025.
Currently, it is possible to make voluntary contributions for tax years going back to 6 April 2006. However, from 6 April 2025, it will only be possible to make voluntary contributions for the preceding six years.
If you need help using the service, or you would like to review your retirement and pension plans, please give us a call. We have expert financial advisers who will be happy to discuss your plans with you in a no pressure environment.
See: https://www.gov.uk/check-state-pension
For Small to Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs), the issue of late payments can mean the difference between survival or liquidation. The Department for Business & Trade estimates it costs the economy £11 billion annually, forcing 38 businesses to close their doors every day.
Manufacturers, importers, wholesalers and retailers are being warned that significant regulatory change is coming under the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS).