Individuals who reach State Pension Age on or after 6 April 2016 need 35 qualifying years of National Insurance Contributions to receive the full state pension. To receive any UK state retirement pension, you need a minimum of ten complete years. You can request a state pension forecast by following this link https://www.gov.uk/check-state-pension The forecast will indicate any gaps in your NIC record which can be filled by paying voluntary Class 2 or Class 3 NIC. Payment should be made within six years of the end of the relevant tax year. You may also qualify for NI credits if you were claiming state benefits, Child Benefit or were a foster carer. The NI credits are not always applied automatically, so it is worth checking your NIC record by following this link https://www.gov.uk/check-national-insurance-record