Martin Lewis has issued a warning about a 'hard bottom' rule for the state pension, explaining that people need at least 10 years of National Insurance contributions to qualify for any payment at all. The consumer finance expert shared the advice on his BBC podcast in response to a question about a family member who had never worked or claimed benefits and therefore had zero NI contributions.
The 'hard bottom' and 'soft top' of state pension entitlement
Lewis described the state pension system as having a 'hard bottom and a soft top'. The 'hard bottom' refers to the minimum requirement of 10 years of NI contributions or credits to receive any state pension. Without this, a person gets nothing from the state pension, regardless of their age. The 'soft top' relates to the number of years needed for the full pension, which varies by individual circumstances but is typically around 35 years for the full new state pension.
Lewis said: 'For those who don't know, National Insurance contributions are when you work or if you get certain benefits if you look after children, you get a National Insurance credit. I think of it like a token - for each year that you work, you get a National Insurance credit - a token that goes into the piggy bank.' He added that even if you have enough contributions for the full pension, you must continue paying NI if you are working and under state pension age.
How many years of NI contributions are needed?
Under current rules, a person typically needs 35 years of NI contributions to get the full new state pension, which pays £241.30 a week or around £12,550 a year. For the basic state pension, 30 years are required. However, Lewis stressed that the exact number can vary, calling it an 'ish' figure. People can check their state pension forecast on the Government website to see how much they are on track to receive.
The value of buying missing NI years
Lewis highlighted that people can fill gaps in their NI record by paying voluntary contributions, up to six tax years ago. This can be particularly valuable for those near the 10-year threshold. He shared a success story of someone with nine years of contributions who bought one extra year. This single purchase took them from zero state pension entitlement to qualifying for about a third of the full amount. Within three months of receiving their pension, they had recouped the cost of that year's contribution.
If a person reaches the minimum 10 qualifying years, they could receive £68.90 a week under the full new state pension rates, adding £3,582.80 a year or almost £300 a month to their income.
Pension Credit as a safety net
For those who reach state pension age with very low income and no state pension entitlement, Lewis pointed to Pension Credit as a key form of DWP support. He said: 'The obvious thing for someone with no or low income is Pension Credit. Pension Credit is effectively a top up to any or no state pension that you get, to give you a minimum income. So for people who have less than about £240 of income a week, including state pension and private pension and any income from savings and investments, then they can get the Pension Credit top up.'
Pension Credit is available to people of state pension age, which is currently moving from 66 to 67 between April 2026 and April 2028. The benefit tops up income to £238 a week for single people and £363.25 for couples. Extra amounts are available for those with severe disabilities (£86.05 a week) or those who care for another adult (£48.15 a week). Claimants can also access other support, including council tax discounts, housing cost help, NHS cost assistance, and a free TV licence for those aged 75 and over.
Lewis emphasised that Pension Credit is a 'gateway benefit' that opens up a range of additional support.
