Do Self-Employed People Get a State Pension?
The Short Answer: Yes
Self-employed people qualify for the State Pension through Class 2 National Insurance contributions. You receive the same State Pension as employed people — the full new State Pension is £221.20 per week (£11,502.40 per year) for 2025/26.
How You Qualify
You need 35 qualifying years of National Insurance contributions for the full amount, and at least 10 qualifying years for any State Pension.
As a self-employed person, you pay Class 2 NI at £3.45 per week when your profits exceed £6,725 per year. Each year of Class 2 contributions gives you a qualifying year.
What If Your Profits Are Low?
If your profits are below £6,725, you may not be paying Class 2 NI automatically. You can make voluntary contributions at the same rate to maintain your qualifying years. At £179.40 per year, this is exceptional value — each year adds approximately £327 per year to your State Pension for life.
What to Do
- Check your forecast at GOV.UK — search "Check your State Pension forecast"
- Fill any gaps with voluntary NI contributions
- Ensure you are registered with HMRC for Self Assessment
Your self-employment profits and NI are tracked through your Self Assessment. Using Accounted ensures your records are accurate and complete.
Your State Pension is there for you — make sure you are building towards it. Sign up for Accounted and keep your self-employment finances on track.
Tax & Compliance Specialists
Our tax specialists have decades of combined experience in UK sole trader and small business taxation, MTD compliance, and HMRC submissions. All content is reviewed against current HMRC guidance before publication and updated quarterly to reflect legislative changes.
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