How do I check my National Insurance record if I'm self-employed?

You can check your National Insurance record online in 2026 by signing in to GOV.UK's Check your National Insurance record service. It shows your contributions, any credits, which years count towards your State Pension and any gaps you could fill.

For a self-employed tradesperson the record matters because Class 4 National Insurance, the bigger amount you pay through Self Assessment, does not count towards your State Pension. Class 2 does. The points below follow GOV.UK as checked on 19 October 2026.

How to check it

1. Go to GOV.UK's "Check your National Insurance record" and sign in. If you don't have sign-in details you can create them, and you may be asked to prove your identity, usually with a passport or driving licence.
2. Look at each tax year. The record shows what you have paid up to the start of the current tax year (6 April 2026), any National Insurance credits, and whether each year counts as a qualifying year for the State Pension.
3. Check your State Pension forecast, which shows how much State Pension you could get, when, and whether you can increase it.

If you would rather have it on paper, you can ask HMRC for a printed National Insurance statement online, by phone or by post. You cannot get a statement for the current or previous tax year. To request one online you need your National Insurance number; our guide on finding your National Insurance number shows where to look.

What counts for the self-employed

GOV.UK says Class 2 counts towards the new State Pension, contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance, Maternity Allowance and Bereavement Support Payment. Class 4 counts towards none of them. Our guide to National Insurance for self-employed trades has the rates in full.

What to look for

• Gaps. A year that is not a qualifying year shows as a gap. GOV.UK's reasons include profits too small to pay contributions (under £7,105 in 2026-27) and living or working outside the UK. A year you worked but were not registered for Self Assessment can also leave a gap. From 6 April 2026 you can no longer pay voluntary Class 2 for time abroad, only Class 3.
• Years you were working. If you were self-employed with profits of £7,105 or more and the year still shows a gap, check that your tax return for that year was filed. GOV.UK says to contact HMRC if you think your record is wrong.
• How many qualifying years you have. You need 10 to get any new State Pension. If your record started after April 2016, you need 35 for the full rate of £241.30 a week; if you were contracted out before 2016 you usually need more than 35.
• Whether paying would help. The service tells you if you would benefit from paying voluntary contributions, how much it would cost and whether you can pay online.

Filling a gap

GOV.UK says to check whether you can get National Insurance credits before deciding to pay voluntary contributions, for example if you were ill or caring for someone. If you can't, you can usually pay voluntary contributions for the past 6 years, with a deadline of 5 April each year: until 5 April 2032 for a gap in 2025-26. Most self-employed people pay Class 2 through their Self Assessment tax return; if your profits are under £7,105 you can choose to pay it there. A gap from last tax year is paid at that year's rate, and older years at the 2026-27 rate. A payment can take up to 8 weeks to show on your record. Voluntary contributions don't always increase your State Pension, so check your forecast before you pay. Our guide on whether to pay voluntary Class 2 compares Class 2 with Class 3.

What this means for you

If you have been self-employed for a few years, check your record once a year, a couple of months after your tax return and payment have gone in. A year of low profits can leave a gap that costs £3.65 a week to fill with voluntary Class 2 in 2026-27, and you only have 6 years to do it.

This is general information to help you understand the rules. It isn't tailored to your circumstances, so check your own position before acting on it.

Steps

1. Find your National Insurance number and your GOV.UK sign-in details.
2. Sign in to Check your National Insurance record and note any gaps.
3. Check your State Pension forecast to see if filling a gap would increase your pension.
4. Check whether you could get National Insurance credits for the gap years.
5. If paying would help, pay voluntary contributions before the 6-year deadline for each gap year.

Use the free MTD check to see when Making Tax Digital starts for you, and the trades section for more guides on tax for trades.