Qualifying years
A qualifying year is a tax year of National Insurance or credits. 10 years is the line for any new State Pension. 35 years is the line for the full rate. This page prices a gap. It does not tell you to buy one.
Key takeaways
- Under 10 qualifying years, this estimate of the new State Pension is zero.
- 35 qualifying years reaches the full £241.30 a week. Years above that do not raise the flat new-scheme estimate.
- Each year from 10 to 35 is worth about £6.89 a week, £358.28 a year.
- Class 3 voluntary contributions are £18.40 a week in 2026/27, £956.80 for 52 weeks.
- A gap is not automatically a year to buy. Credits may already cover it, the deadline may have passed, or a starting amount may mean the year does not increase the pension.
- The official forecast is the check before any payment. This site cannot see a National Insurance record.
What counts as a qualifying year
A qualifying year is a tax year in which you paid enough National Insurance, or received credits. Credits can come from childcare, caring, or some benefits. Voluntary contributions can fill a year that is still open.
A year can count if
- you paid National Insurance through employment or self-employment
- you received National Insurance credits
- you paid voluntary contributions for a year that was still open
10 years and 35
| Qualifying years | New State Pension estimate |
|---|---|
| Under 10 | Nothing |
| 10 to 35 | £6.89 a week for each year |
| 35 | £241.30 a week |
| Above 35 | No extra on this flat scale |
The qualifying years calculator applies these lines to a number you enter. It still cannot see which of your years already count.
The Class 3 price
In 2026/27, Class 3 is £18.40 a week, £956.80 for a 52-week year. Class 2 is £3.65 a week. Some self-employed people can pay Class 2 instead. This page prices Class 3 only.
If a year increases the new State Pension by £358.28 a year, the Class 3 cost can be covered in roughly three years of pension. That comparison only holds when the year actually increases the pension. Deadlines are usually the last six tax years.
When a gap is not worth buying
- you already have 35 years that count in full on the new scheme
- credits already cover the year
- the deadline for that tax year has passed
- you were contracted out and the year does not move your starting amount
Check the record before you pay
The GOV.UK forecast shows the years on your record and whether a gap can still be paid. This guide is a price list and a set of rules. It is not a recommendation to buy a year.
Reviewed by
Chartered Financial Planner
FCA, CFP® and FCII. Director of Mason Beaufort Financial Planning Co Ltd, specialising in UK pensions since 2001.