Voluntary National Insurance

Skip contents

Rates

The rates for the 2025 to 2026 tax year are:

  • £3.50 a week for Class 2
  • £17.75 a week for Class 3

You usually pay the current rate when you make a voluntary contribution.

When you pay different rates

If you’re paying Class 2 contributions for the previous tax year or Class 3 contributions for the previous 2 tax years, you pay the original rate for those tax years:

If you’re paying for any earlier years, you’ll pay the rate for 2025 to 2026.

If you have a specific type of job

You’ll pay a special Class 2 rate if you’re:

  • a share fisherman
  • a volunteer development worker
View a printable version of the whole guide

Part of Plan your retirement income: step by step

  1. Step 1 Check when you can retire

    1. Check what age you can get your State Pension
    2. Find out about working after you reach State Pension age
    3. Find out if you can retire early with your workplace or personal pension

  2. and Check how much pension you could get

    1. Find out how much State Pension you could get (your forecast)

    You may also be paying into a:

    1. Find out if you’ll pay tax on your pension
    2. Find contact details for a lost pension

  3. Step 2 Increase your pension

    You might be able to increase the amount you get if you delay your pension.

    1. Find out about delaying your pension

    You might be able to pay voluntary contributions to fill in gaps in your National Insurance record (such as, from when you were not working or claiming benefits).

    1. Check if you can pay voluntary National Insurance contributions

    For advice about increasing your workplace or private pension, speak to a financial adviser.

    1. Find a financial adviser through Unbiased

  4. Step 3 Check what other financial support you could get

    Check what financial help you could get if you:

    You can also get free bus travel if you:

  5. Step 4 Decide when to retire

    1. Get advice on planning your pension and deciding when to retire