Everyone aged between 40 and 73 has been told they could boost their pensions by thousands of pounds with a simple trick. It applies to anyone who does not have a full national insurance record.

They can choose to buy back years which can prove very lucrative in the long run, says Martin Lewis' Money Saving Expert website. The full 'new' state pension is currently £203.85 a week - however how much people receive depends on how many 'qualifying' full national insurance (NI) years they have, experts explained.

Most people collect NI years through working and paying NI, but you can also get them if you're claiming benefits or caring for others. Anyone with missing years can buy them back.

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The extra money it makes over the following years means it could be worth doing for most people. The main thing people should do is check if they are missing any NI years since 2006 through the Government website here.

Experts say people also need to check if they are due to get the full £230.85 a week when they reach pension age. If they are, they shouldn't do anything as the rate can't go any higher.

Right now buying a full national insurance (NI) year costs £824 in most cases but adds up to £302.64 each year to pensions - showing how it could be worth it over time. One woman told how she paid up to £5,000 to increase her state pension by £2,550 a year - which would be worth over £50,000 if she lives for 20 years after state pension age.

The team at MoneySavingExpert.com explained: "You now have until April 5, 2025 to pay voluntary national insurance (NI) contributions on gaps in your NI record between 2006 and 2016. This is the second deadline extension – it was previously changed from April 5 to July 31, 2023 – and follows reports that Government helplines have been completely overwhelmed in recent months, preventing callers from being able to get the necessary advice.

"In addition to extending the deadline, the cost of paying voluntary NI contributions will remain frozen until 5 April 2025. So if you're years away from state pension age, you've more time to decide if paying to plug gaps in your NI record is right for you – just don't put it off too long.

"If you're almost (or already) at state pension age, and doing this is right for you, you shouldn't put it off at all to ensure you get the maximum benefit from paying to plug gaps in your record." They continued: "The maths is simple. A full NI year usually costs £824 and adds up to £302.64 each year to your pre-tax state pension.

"Get this maximum gain and it's worth it as long as you live at least three years after getting your pension (or three years after you top up, if you're already getting it). Note that you can't pay to increase your state pension beyond the maximum of £203.85 a week, so if you're projected to get £200 a week or more, topping up is less good value for money."