He explained how the state pension qualifying rules work
Martin Lewis has outlined some guidelines about your state pension. He sharing some insights on National Insurance contributions and how you a simple change could significantly increase your payments.
A listener on his BBC podcast posed a question about a family member who was approaching their 40th birthday. They were in the unusual situation of having no National Insurance (NI) contributions, having never worked or claimed any benefit that would provide NI credits. The listener enquired what their relative would be entitled to under current DWP rules if they continued without making any contributions. In response, Mr Lewis explained there is a “hard bottom and a soft top” when it comes to state pension entitlement.
He said: “For those who don’t know, National Insurance contributions are when you work or if you get certain benefits if you look after children, you get a National Insurance credit. I think of it like a token – for each year that you work, you get a National Insurance credit – a token that goes into the piggy bank.”
The general rule
The consumer champion went on to clarify the general rule of thumb here: “I generally say you need 35 years worth-ish of National Insurance to get the full state pension. But it really is in ‘ish-‘. For some people it’s more, for some people it’s less.
“Just because you’ve got your full state pension entitlement, doesn’t mean you stop paying National Insurance if you’re working, and you’re under state pension age.” This represents the ‘soft top’ Mr Lewis mentioned, as the amount of National Insurance contributions required to qualify for the full state pension varies depending on individual circumstances.
The full new state pension currently stands at £241.30 weekly, worth around £12,550 annually. According to existing rules, you typically require 35 years of NI contributions to receive the full new state pension, or 30 years to be eligible for the full basic state pension.
If you want to check your projected state pension entitlement, there is a tool for this available on the Government website.
‘Hugely valuable’
However, the threshold for qualifying for any state pension whatsoever is far more straightforward. Mr Lewis cautioned: “The bottom is a hard bottom, because to get any state pension, you need 10 years of National Insurance credits.”
There is an option to purchase additional years to fill gaps in your National Insurance record, covering up to six tax years previously. This could prove worthwhile if you’re missing contributions but are not far off the 10-year minimum threshold for eligibility.
Mr Lewis highlighted one particularly successful case, where a person with nine years of contributions found that purchasing just one additional year proved “hugely valuable”. This took them from zero state pension entitlement to qualifying for roughly a third of the full amount.
This meant that within three months of beginning to receive their state pension, they would have recouped the money they paid to plug the one-year gap. On reaching the minimum 10 qualifying years, recipients could receive £68.90 a week under the current full new state pension rates, boosting their annual income by £3,582.80, or almost £300 a month.
Other DWP support
Nevertheless, those who reach state pension age with very low income and no state pension entitlement can still access DWP support. Mr Lewis explained: “The obvious thing for someone with no or low income is Pension Credit.
“Pension Credit is effectively a top up to any or no state pension that you get, to give you a minimum income. So for people who have less than about £240 of income a week, including state pension and private pension and any income from savings and investments, then they can get the Pension Credit top up.”
Pension Credit is available to those of state pension age, which is currently being gradually raised from 66 to 67, between April 2026 and April 2028. The benefit supplements your income to £238 a week for single claimants and up to £363.25 for those with a partner, meaning if your relevant income falls below these figures, you may be eligible.
Extra payments
Nevertheless, additional sums can be added to this income support based on your circumstances, effectively raising the maximum income you can have and still claim. For instance, an extra £86.05 weekly is available if you have a severe disability, or an additional £48.15 per week if you’re caring for another adult.
Furthermore, Pension Credit recipients can access a range of additional support. Mr Lewis explained: “Pension Credit interestingly is actually a gateway benefit that opens up access to a whole other load of benefits.”
Those receiving the benefit can get assistance including council tax reductions and additional funds for housing expenses. Claimants can also get help with NHS charges and a complimentary TV licence for recipients aged 75 and above.
