Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Government press release entitled Almost 7 million adults in the dark about their State Pension, published on 14 September 2026, what information the Department holds on the number of people who have made voluntary National Insurance contributions after checking their State Pension forecast in the last three years.

This question was answered on 12th October 2026

The HMRC-commissioned consumer survey did not provide information on how many people with an incomplete National Insurance (NI) record have never checked their State Pension forecast, nor how many could increase their State Pension entitlement by making voluntary NI contributions. HMRC has also not produced an estimate of these figures.

NI contributions and credits can be built up throughout a person’s working life. Their State Pension entitlement will therefore depend on their contribution history, credited years and any future qualifying years they may accrue before reaching State Pension age. HMRC cannot forecast an individual’s future income or NI contributions to determine whether they could increase their State Pension by making voluntary contributions.

HMRC holds information on customers who made voluntary NI contributions online after checking their State Pension forecast online.

Financial year	Unique customers who checked their State Pension forecast online	Unique customers with payable gaps	Unique customers who paid gaps
2024/25	8,036,829	111,689	75,173
2025/26	6,907,501	50,346	34,521
2026/27 (1 April 2026 to 30 July 2026)	3,018,295	8,337	5,627

(Based on operational management information, which is subject to change).

These figures relate only to customers who paid voluntary NI contributions online after checking their forecast through the online Check your State Pension forecast service. They do not include customers who checked their forecast and then paid outside the service, or customers who obtained a forecast through DWP and then paid outside the online service.

HMRC encourages customers who are able to do so to check their State Pension forecast online or through the HMRC app. It recognises that digital services are not suitable for everyone, and customers who cannot use the online service can contact the DWP Future Pension Centre to request a forecast.

A letter is sent to customers when they are nearing State Pension age which informs them how to get their State Pension, that they can view their State Pension forecast and make top-up payments where it is appropriate for them to do so. The intent is always to provide customers with the information they need to make informed choices. In addition, since 2025, DWP has been writing to people with a State Pension age of 67 and this letter also encourages people to check their State Pension forecast. Government keeps its communications with customers under review.