People should urgently check whether they have gaps in their national insurance (NI) record, Citizens Advice South Gloucestershire has said.

This is because it will soon no longer be possible to plug gaps dating back to 2006.

Having 35 years of national insurance contributions means people are entitled to a full state pension.

People are entitled to national insurance credits in some situations - for instance, if they can’t work due to illness.

But not everyone claims these credits - which could leave them out of pocket when it comes time to receive state pension.

Citizens Advice South Gloucestershire is encouraging anyone who may be missing national insurance credits to come to the charity for advice.

It may be possible reapply for the credits to cover the missing years for free.

The window for addressing gaps in national insurance records dating back to 2006 closes on July 31.

After this, people will only be able to fill gaps for the past six tax years - currently going back to 2017.

Emmanuelle Claverie is lead supervisor at Citizens Advice South Gloucestershire and leads a team of advisers.

She said: “It’s worth checking on the Government website to see your NI record and see if there are any gaps.

“If there are any gaps, for some people it’s worth looking at whether you have any entitlement covering those years."

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