State Pension

[roboanna]

When I was at university in the nineties I didn't NI contributions for 3 years. Will this affect my pension or will they make allowances ? ta

[sebhfhion]

You can ask for a pension 'quote' from the DHSS. They will tell you how much you have paid in and any shortfall. You can opt to take less pension or pay a lump sum upfront. I missed about three years of my pension payments and was told it would be around 6p per week difference so I opted to receive less pension and keep my capital.

[roboanna]

63 this year .I was a mature student

[Fibonacci]

The proposed new state pension coming in 2016
http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/pensions/article-2262134/Flat-rate-state-pension-changes-explained-Winners-losers.html

is based on 35 years' worth of National Insurance contributions at present it is based on 30 years but you can pay for extra years if necessary.

https://www.gov.uk/voluntary-national-insurance-contributions

[roboanna]

ta al

[factor-fiction]

I got credit for my years at university automatically in the 70s and for my year on a postgraduate course I took 30 years later (although I had to ask for the latter).
As sebhthion has said you can get a quote , although it's the DWP you want not the DHSS.