British government allows people to buy back NI years for their UK state pension, but rules are tightening. LNThe clock is certainly ticking with a cut-off at the weekend in terms of buying back historic years of UK state pension cover at a much lower cost. Hundreds of thousands of Irish people are eligible for a UK state pension by virtue of having worked there at some point in their lives. Many have availed of the chance to buy back years of National Insurance (NI) cover to secure or enhance a UK state pension in retirement. It could even be three years depending on when your birthday falls, as you cannot buy NI cover beyond your state pension age.

Source: The Irish Times March 31, 2026 08:31 UTC