Understanding Qualifying Years: Complete Guide

What Is a Qualifying Year?

A qualifying year is a tax year (6 April to 5 April) in which you either:

• Paid National Insurance through employment or self-employment
• Received National Insurance credits for caring, unemployment, or illness
• Made voluntary contributions to fill gaps

Each qualifying year counts toward your State Pension. The more qualifying years you have, the higher your pension.

How Many Years Do You Need?

Minimum: 10 Years

You need at least 10 qualifying years to get any State Pension at all. With fewer than 10 years, you get nothing (although you may qualify for Pension Credit if you have low income).

10 years gets you: £65.79/week (£3,421/year) - approximately 28.6% of the full amount

Maximum: 35 Years

You need 35 qualifying years for the full State Pension.

35 years gets you: £230.25/week (£11,973/year) - the full amount for 2025/26

Between 10 and 35 Years

If you have between 10 and 35 years, your pension is calculated proportionally:

Formula: (Your qualifying years ÷ 35) × £230.25 = Your weekly pension

Each additional year adds: £6.58/week (£342/year) to your pension

How to Build Qualifying Years

Through Employment

If you're employed and earn above the Lower Earnings Limit (£6,396/year for 2025/26), you automatically get a qualifying year.

How it works:

• You pay Class 1 National Insurance on earnings (12% between £12,570-£50,270, then 2%)
• Your employer deducts this automatically
• As long as you earn £6,396+ in the tax year, it counts as a qualifying year
• You don't have to work all year - the total matters

Example: You work 6 months earning £15,000. This is above £6,396, so you get a full qualifying year.

Through Self-Employment

If you're self-employed with profits above £6,725/year (2025/26), you pay Class 2 NI and get a qualifying year.

How it works:

• You pay Class 2 NI at £3.50/week (£182/year) if profits are £6,725+
• Paid through your Self Assessment tax return
• If profits are below £6,725, you're except from paying - but this means you don't get a qualifying year
• You can voluntarily pay Class 2 even if exempt - worth it for £182 to get £342/year in pension

Through National Insurance Credits

You can get qualifying years for free through NI credits if you:

• Receive Child Benefit for a child under 12
• Claim Carer's Allowance (caring 35+ hours/week)
• Care for someone 20+ hours/week (apply for Carer's Credit)
• Claim Jobseeker's Allowance or Universal Credit
• Are sick or disabled and claiming ESA/incapacity benefits
• Are on maternity, paternity, or adoption leave

Some credits are automatic, others you must apply for. Read our NI credits guide for details.

Through Voluntary Contributions

You can pay voluntary NI to fill gaps in your record:

• Class 3: £17.75/week (£923/year) - available to most people
• Class 2: £3.50/week (£182/year) - for self-employed or people abroad (ending April 2026 for abroad)

Only worth it if: you need more years (below 35), your forecast says it will help, and you expect to live beyond break-even (usually 2-3 years).

Read our guide to filling gaps

Real-World Examples

Example 1: Full-Time Employee

James, age 65, reaching State Pension age at 66:

• Worked full-time from age 18 to 65 (47 years)
• Earned well above £6,396 every year
• Has 47 qualifying years (more than 35 needed)

State Pension: £230.25/week (full amount - extra years above 35 don't increase it further)

Example 2: Part-Time Worker

Sarah, age 60:

• Worked full-time from 18-30 (12 years)
• Took 10 years off to raise children, claimed Child Benefit (10 years of credits)
• Worked part-time from 40-60, earning £8,000/year (20 years)
• Total: 12 + 10 + 20 = 42 qualifying years (but max counts as 35)

State Pension: £230.25/week (full amount)

Example 3: Self-Employed with Gaps

David, age 58:

• Worked employed from 18-25 (7 years)
• Self-employed from 25-58, but had some years with low profits below £6,725 (25 years qualifying, 8 years gaps)
• Total: 7 + 25 = 32 qualifying years

State Pension at 67:

• Currently: (32 ÷ 35) × £230.25 = £210.51/week (£10,947/year)
• If he fills 3 gaps to reach 35 years: £230.25/week (£11,973/year)
• Filling 3 years would cost: 3 × £182 (Class 2 if available) = £546
• Annual benefit: £1,026 extra per year
• Break-even: 6 months

Decision: Definitely worth filling the gaps if Class 2 is available, or even Class 3 (break-even ~2.7 years).

Example 4: Career Break for Caring

Emma, age 50:

• Worked from 20-35 (15 years)
• Cared for elderly parent from 35-45, claimed Carer's Allowance (10 years of credits)
• Returned to work from 45-50 (5 years)
• Plans to work until State Pension age 67 (17 more years)
• Total will be: 15 + 10 + 5 + 17 = 47 qualifying years (but max 35 counts)

State Pension at 67: £230.25/week (full amount)

Example 5: Multiple Part-Time Jobs

Lisa, age 45:

• Has 3 part-time jobs
• Job 1: £3,000/year
• Job 2: £2,500/year
• Job 3: £1,500/year
• Total: £7,000/year

Does this count as a qualifying year? Yes! The total earnings (£7,000) are above the Lower Earnings Limit (£6,396), so the whole year counts. Each job pays Class 1 NI separately, and the combined total determines if you get a qualifying year.

Common Scenarios

What If I Earned Just Below the Limit?

If you earned £6,395 (£1 below the LEL), you don't get a qualifying year from earnings. However, you may get one if you:

• Received NI credits that year (e.g., for caring or unemployment)
• Pay voluntary NI to fill the gap

What If I Worked Abroad?

Years spent working abroad for a non-UK employer generally don't count as qualifying years. However, you can:

• Pay voluntary NI to maintain your record (Class 2 or Class 3)
• Use reciprocal agreements with some countries to combine contributions

Read our guide to State Pension when living abroad

What If I Was Contracted Out?

If you were "contracted out" of the State Pension through a workplace pension (before April 2016), those years still count as qualifying years, but you'll have a deduction on your State Pension. Check your forecast to see the impact.

What If I Have Exactly 35 Years Already?

If you already have 35 qualifying years, you'll get the full State Pension. Additional years don't increase it further (except in rare cases with protected payments from the old system).

Checking Your Qualifying Years

Online

1. Go to gov.uk/check-national-insurance-record
2. Sign in with Government Gateway
3. See year-by-year breakdown of qualifying years and gaps

By Phone

Call the National Insurance helpline: 0300 200 3500 (Monday-Friday, 8am-6pm)

What to Look For

• Full years: Marked with a tick or "Full year"
• Gaps: Years with insufficient contributions/credits
• Fillable gaps: Recent gaps you can pay to complete (usually last 6 years)
• Unfillable gaps: Too old to fill (more than 6 years ago, except extended deadline years)

How Qualifying Years Convert to Pension

Based on 2025/26 rates. Your actual amount may differ due to contracted-out deductions or protected payments.

Planning Ahead

If You're Under 30

• You have plenty of time to build 35 years
• Focus on career and earnings
• Be aware of NI credits if you take career breaks
• Check your record every few years for errors

If You're 30-50

• Check your NI record to see progress toward 35 years
• Claim any NI credits you're entitled to
• If you have gaps, consider whether to fill them
• Plan for any career breaks (caring, travel, etc.)

If You're 50+

• Check your forecast annually
• Identify any gaps and whether you can fill them
• Consider whether you'll reach 35 years through future work
• Fill important gaps before deadlines expire
• Use our Qualifying Years Calculator to estimate your pension