If you have between 1 and 10 years of work in the UK, this is your last chance ever to get or top up a UK state pension.
Many people who worked in the UK before moving to Ireland or elsewhere around the world are still unaware that they may be entitled to a UK State Pension, or that they can at least significantly increase their entitlement before an April 5 application deadline this year.
Galway-based UK State Pension specialists XtraPension is continuing to help individuals across Ireland secure and maximise their UK State Pension through its specialist execution-only service. However, the company is warning that major changes to UK pension rules will take effect from April 6, 2026 which will make it more expensive for people living outside the UK to top up their UK State Pension if they do not act in time.
Currently, individuals living outside the UK who worked for anywhere between 1 and 10 years in the UK can increase their UK pension entitlement by paying Voluntary National Insurance Contributions (VNICs) at the cheap Class 2 rate if they meet the criteria. However, from April, this cheaper option will be abolished.
From April 6, 2026:
Only people with 10+ years of work in the UK will be eligible to purchase ANY years in order to get/ top up a UK State Pension
The cheap Class 2 rate will be abolished.
People will no longer be able to buy past years at the Class 2 rate unless they applied to pay VNICs before April 6, 2026.
All future top ups will be charged at the standard Class 3 rate, the same rate which has always been paid by UK residents.
“Former UK workers can secure a full UK State Pension that can be worth up to €14,000 per year from age 67, with no impact on their Irish or other private pensions. Yet many people who returned to Ireland after working in the UK forget the pension entitlements they left behind,” explains John Ring, Operations Director of XtraPension.
People who apply to top up before April 6, 2026 can still get up to six past years at the cheap Class 2 rate. After April 2026, new applicants will need to have lived or worked in the UK for at least 10 years, and will only be able to pay the more expensive Class 3 contributions. They will also be limited to buying up to six past years, plus future years up to UK State Pension age, or a total of 35 qualifying years
While some people view Class 3 as expensive compared to Class 2, Ring said they can still offer strong value: “UK consumer finance expert Martin Lewis described Class 3 as ‘one of the best returns you’ll ever get’. Even at the Class 3 rate, you get around €8 back for every €1 paid in over a 20-year retirement, and that income is 100% guaranteed, compared to a private pension where the return is generally much less, and not guaranteed.”
XtraPension notes that contributions do not need to be paid in one lump sum. Many people spread payments over time, although doing so may reduce eventual pension income.
XtraPension simplifies what can be a complex HMRC process. Through its online tool, individuals can instantly check if they qualify for a UK State Pension and receive a personalised estimate of potential costs and benefits. The company then handles the paperwork required to secure a ‘Letter of Approval’ from HMRC, allowing clients to decide how much to pay in VNICs directly to HMRC.
XtraPension offers a full money-back guarantee if HMRC determines a client is ineligible. To date, the company has processed over 10,000 applications across more than 50 nationalities.
For further information and to check eligibility, visit www.xtrapension.com.