The BR19 is the UK State Pension forecast HMRC issues when you ask. It tells you what you could get when you reach State Pension age: and whether your National Insurance record has gaps that could cost you money.
Full UK State Pension 2026/27: £241.30 per week (£12,547.60 per year). You need 35 qualifying years for the full amount.
What is on a BR19 forecast
Estimated State Pension based on your record so far: what you would get if you stopped contributing today.
Estimated State Pension if you keep contributing: projected to your State Pension age.
Number of qualifying years to date: out of the 35 needed for the full new State Pension.
Years where contributions were "not full": gaps you may be able to fill via voluntary Class 3 NI contributions.
Your State Pension age: based on your date of birth.
Voluntary NI top-up: should you?
Each missing qualifying year usually costs around £956.80 to top up at Class 3 voluntary rates. One extra qualifying year adds roughly £329 per year to your State Pension. So you "break even" in under three years of retirement, then it is pure return.
The catch: the current extension to fill gaps back to 2006 ends 5 April 2027: after that you can only fill the previous 6 tax years.