Martin Lewis gives 'six-month' warning to people under 73 as they could claim £10,000s

has issued a six-month warning as millions of Brits could miss out on financial boosts potentially worth over £10,000.

The Money Saving Expert (MSE) website founder shared the warning in his weeklyand in a post on his X account this morning. Martin warned that there are only six months left to plug any missed years to top up your state pension.

Most people need 35 qualifying years on their National Insurance record to get the full new state pension and ten years to receive anything at all. At the moment, you can buy back missing National Insurance years dating back to 2006 - , you will only be able to go back six tax years.

In this week's newsletter, Martin explained that if you are under the age of 73, then it could be the "most lucrative" thing you could do. However, even though the deadline is still half a year away, Martin said the "process ain't quick" so you should start now.

The MSE newsletter explained that it normally costs £824 to buy a missing National Insurance year and this adds up to £328 each year to your pre-tax state pension. He explained: "Each extra National Insurance year typically adds £329 annually to your State Pension. So even for a full year, it'd pay you back after two and a half years of State Pension - after that, it's profit. A 66-year-old man living for the typical life expectancy would get a total of £5,400 back, a woman £6,100." However, the exact boost you get is dependent on how many gaps you need to fill.

Martin noted that only a full year's contribution counts, so if you have a partially paid year, it can actually be "very cheap" to buy the rest - potentially as little as £20.

Have you plugged gaps in your National Insurance record to boost your state pension? Let us know: mirror.money.saving@mirror.co.uk

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However, before paying any National Insurance, Martin said you should check whether you could plug the gaps for free - which could potentially save you "thousands." There are many instances where you are eligible for National Insurance Credits, and usually, they are added automatically, however, in some instances, you will need to claim them.

For example, you may be entitled to National Insurance credits if you were claiming statutory sick pay and not earning enough for a qualifying year. Those who claim benefits such as Jobseeker's Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance may also qualify for National Insurance credits. You can find more examples of ways to get free National Insurance credits on .

Contact the free Future Pension Centre on 0800 731 0175 before buying any National Insurance contributions to check if you'd benefit from plugging any gaps in your National Insurance record. If you're already at state pension age, contact the free Pension Service helpline on 0800 731 0469.

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