A savings expert has issued an 'urgent' warning to Brits to check their National Insurance contributions amid a 'ticking £6k time bomb'.

Over 27 million workers reportedly pay National Insurance (NI) contributions in the UK which amounts to over £177.7 billion a year.

To qualify for a state pension and guarantee a comfortable retirement, most people will need to accumulate 35 years of NI contributions.

This fact has led one savings expert, the co-founder of the online savings platform Raisin UK, to urge people to check their contributions to see if they can boost their State Pension by thousands of pounds.

"Whilst many may not think to, it’s important to check your National Insurance record to see if you have any gaps that need filling, " according to the savings expert, Kevin Mountford. 

Kevin continued: "Most people will need 35 years of contributions, whilst some may need more to claim the full new State Pension.

“Gaps in your National Insurance record could mean you will not have enough years of contributions to claim full State Pension or even qualify for some benefits.”

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'Check your National Insurance contributions' warning issued

The expert warned people of a ‘ticking £6k time bomb’.

From now - until April 2025 - you can pay to plug National Insurance gaps dating back to 2006.

However, from April next year, you’ll only be able to pay for voluntary contributions for the past six tax years.

Kevin Mountford added: “Whilst boosting your National Insurance contributions doesn’t sound like a particularly exciting thing to do with any leftover money, it could earn you thousands of pounds!

"Putting in a full-year class 3 contribution at £824 could make you £328 per year towards your pre-tax pension - that could add up to over £6,000 before you retire.

“To see if you’d benefit from purchasing missing National Insurance years, you should first check both your National Insurance record and your State Pension forecast on the Gov.uk website. 

"It’s vital you periodically review your National Insurance record going forward for any gaps, helping you secure a better pension when the time arrives.”

Raisin UK has also shared shocking data that highlights a contribution gap between men and women.

The data reveals that if a woman has no children, she is more likely to have an extra £11,315 in her pension pot at the end of her career compared to a woman with children.

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The experts say this is because women lose out on £783 every year after having a child.

Even more concerning, it’s estimated that over 43 million women will be behind on their National Insurance contributions by around £2,572, according to Raisin UK's new data,

In turn, this reportedly adds an extra year to their working lives.