The government is advising that ‘if you’re 50 or over, you should apply for your pension statement’. 

The new state pension is based on National Insurance contributions or credits on your National Insurance record before 6 April 2016. Those who up to April have ‘contracted out’ will in the main find that they receive a lower state pension. 

The online service to check your pension is accessed via the government gateway where you can check your state pension and find out what can be done to improve it. 

One of the areas to consider is if it would be beneficial to make extra contributions, with extended time limits to ‘fill in gaps in tax years which are not already qualifying years’. Instead of payment filling in gaps in the previous six years, there are special arrangements if you reach state pension age on or after 6 April 2016. 

You have until 5 April 2023 to pay voluntary contributions to make up gaps between April 2006 and April 2016.