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The information given on this page is based on pensions legislation currently in operation in Northern Ireland. However, the Department has recently introduced a Pensions Bill to the Northern Ireland Assembly which contains proposals for reform corresponding to reforms made by the Pensions Act 2007 for Great Britain.
More information is available at The Pension Service  website. This explains more about the reforms introduced in Great Britain under the Act which became law on 26 July 2007 and which the Pensions Bill aims to replicate for Northern Ireland.
State Pension – have you paid enough contributions?
The amount of basic State Pension people get depends on how many qualifying years were built up while working. Qualifying years are the years in which you paid, or were treated as paying National insurance contributions. In certain circumstances, you may have been credited with National insurance contributions even if you were unable to do paid work.
The additional State Pension is the earnings-related element of State Pension. You may know this better as SERPS (the State-Earnings Related Pension Scheme). SERPS was replaced by the State Second Pension from April 2002. The amount you receive from this pension is also based on your record of National Insurance Contributions and your level of earnings when you were an employee.
What if there are any gaps in my National Insurance contributions?
Some people who became entitled to their State Pension from April 1997 may have gaps in their National Insurance record which they are unaware of. These gaps may have an affect on their entitlement to state benefits including State Pension.
Some people can improve their basic State Pension entitlement by making additional voluntary Class 3 contributions now that the Inland Revenue has extended the deadline for making late voluntary Class 3 contributions.
This does not affect people who:
- Receive the full basic State Pension (£79.60 from April 2004)
- Became entitled to State Pension before April 1997
If you think you may be affected you should contact the Pension Service, Windsor House, Belfast on 0845 6033332 or text phone 0845 6021277
If you contact us we will:
Tell you whether you have a gap in your National Insurance record, which you can still fill by paying voluntary contributions
- Arrange for a statement of your National Insurance Account to be sent from the National Insurance Contributions Office, which will tell you how much you still have to pay.
You can then choose whether or not to make these late National Insurance contributions.
If you are one of the customers affected and you do not contact us we will write to you to tell you about any gaps in your National Insurance record.
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