HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) have revealed that 37,000 people have plugged gaps in their National Insurance (NI) record since last April, boosting the amount of State Pension they will receive when they reach retirement age.
The amount of State Pension you will receive is based on how many completed years you have in your NI record. Currently it is possible to review your record going back to 2006, and where there is a gap, you can contribute to plug the gap and ensure that you maximise the amount of State Pension that will be available to you.
There is limited time to be able to do this though. From 6 April 2025, you will only be able to make voluntary NI contributions for the previous 6 tax years. This means there is now less than two months left to be able to plug any gaps that go back to 2006.
HMRC have an online service that allows you to check and view any gaps in your NI record, calculate the difference any payment will make to your State Pension and then make a payment for the years you would like to top up.
If you would like any help in finding out whether you have any missing years and how much benefit you could get from a top up, please contact us and we would be happy to help you!
See: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/35-million-added-to-state-pension-pots
The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has released new guidance on how to properly retire old digital systems and devices – a process known as decommissioning. The guidance is aimed at IT teams, but there are useful takeaways for any small business that uses computers, software or online systems.
The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has recently updated its guidance on Employers’ Liability insurance - a useful reminder of the rules and risks around a business insurance that is legally required in the UK.