Parents can top up pensions by £6,500 for free

Parents who did not claim child benefit will soon be able to top up their state pension for free. The government plans to allow applications for National Insurance credits starting in April 2026. Previously, many parents stopped claiming child benefit due to the high-income child benefit charge, which affected their pension entitlements. This change aims to help those parents recover potential losses in their state pension. The new credits could add up to £6,500 over a 20-year retirement for parents who missed out. The government confirmed the implementation of this change to support affected parents and carers.