State Pension top-up calculator
See what your new State Pension is projected to be from your National Insurance record, and what buying voluntary Class 3 years would cost and add. Figures are comparative estimates, not personal advice.
- Projected State Pension
- £12,548
- £241.30 a week
- Full new State Pension
- £12,548
- £241.30 a week
35 of 35 qualifying years projected (21 still accruing from work before State Pension age). 0 short of the full amount.
This record already projects the full new State Pension, so there is nothing to top up.
Class 3 costs £18.40 a week per year bought (£957 a year). Whether you can pay Class 3 — and for which years — varies by individual; check your record on GOV.UK: Check your National Insurance record. Breakeven ignores inflation and any tax on the extra pension.
Keep these figures
EnoughDay will carry only the fields this calculator identifies. You will review wrapper totals before the plan can be saved.
- Age now and retirement age
- NI record values remain calculator context
How this is calculated
The projection uses the same deterministic engine as the full EnoughDay plan. The full method and sources are on the methodology page.
Projected qualifying years are your years so far plus one year for each remaining working year before State Pension age, capped at 35. The new State Pension is that number divided by 35 of the full amount, and nil below the 10-year minimum.
Worked example: someone aged 45 with 20 qualifying years who stops work at 66 accrues 21 more years, reaching 35 of 35 — a projected £12,548 a year against the full £12,548.
The 2026/27 full new State Pension is £241.30 a week and the voluntary Class 3 rate is £18.40 a week. These are planning figures; your own entitlement and what you can pay may differ.
FAQ
How many National Insurance years do I need for the full State Pension?
You usually need 35 qualifying years for the full new State Pension, and at least 10 qualifying years to get any new State Pension at all. Between 10 and 35 years you get a proportion — roughly your qualifying years divided by 35 of the full amount.
How much does it cost to buy a year of National Insurance?
This tool uses the 2026/27 voluntary Class 3 rate of £18.40 a week, which is about £956.80 to buy a single qualifying year. Class 2 (for some self-employed people) is cheaper, but the comparison here uses the Class 3 rate.
Will working more years increase my State Pension without paying anything?
Often yes. Each year you work and pay National Insurance before State Pension age normally adds a qualifying year, up to the 35-year maximum. The calculator counts the years between your age now and when you stop working (capped at State Pension age) as future qualifying years before showing any gap left to buy.
Can everyone buy voluntary National Insurance years?
No. Eligibility to pay voluntary Class 3 contributions — and which past years you can fill — varies by individual and there are time limits. This is a comparative estimate only: check your own record and what you can pay on GOV.UK before deciding anything.
What does the breakeven age mean?
It is the age at which the extra State Pension received has added up to the one-off cost of the top-up: the cost divided by the annual uplift, added to your State Pension age. It is a nominal figure that ignores inflation and any income tax on the extra pension.