Unless you're either self-employed or living and working abroad (see below), you'll need to buy class 3 national insurance (NI) contributions.
The rate you pay depends on which year you're buying, as follows:
– 2006/07 to 2019/20 (inclusive) costs £824.20 (£15.85/week)
– 2020/21 costs £795.60 (£15.30/week)
– 2021/22 costs £800.80 (£15.40/week)
– 2022/23 costs £824.20 (£15.85/week)
– 2023/24 will cost £907.40 (£17.45/week)
– 2024/25 costs are yet to be confirmed.
The above rates will remain until 5 April 2025.