Women can buy back missed NI contributions

Women should make sure that their national insurance contributions are up to date so that they are entitled to a full pension, according to an independent advisor.

Because women are more likely to have times when they have not made insurance contributions, a good start in securing future financial security is filling in those missing payments.

Ruth Whitehead, adviser for Ruth Whitehead Associates, said: "[Women] are far more likely to have had gaps in their employment [than men], largely due to staying at home with the children. Therefore, a good place to start is to make sure that your national insurance contributions are up to date so that you don't lose out with your state pension provision."

The Department of Work and Pensions is currently encouraging women to buy back any missed contributions between April 1996 and April 2002, giving them the opportunity to pay in at a discounted rate.

However, Ms Whitehead pointed out that the state pension will not keep people comfortable, and suggested women look at personal plans to ensure their financial security.