If like me your ignorant/confused of the whole NI/pension process, opting in opting out serps etc etc then you might find this Government link useful as you can check all your NI records and future pension. You will need to register with them and get user name etc.

https://www.tax.service.gov.uk/check-your-state-pension

The state pension is brilliant and bureaucracy-free. All it took was a single 30-second phone call to get my state pension paid into my bank.

What a contrast with the various company pensions I'd accumulated over the years. Most of them for small amounts, but still... None of them could give me an accurate forecast like the state one does. I had about seven or eight of these and every one required a form to be filled out and submitted along with my birth certificate (No. It can't be a copy. It has to be the original!) and they were all very S.L.O.W to send it back so it could be sent to the next one. Be prepared if you are in the same position as I was. Obviously you need to prioritise with the biggest first.

I often smile when I read of 'state bureaucracy' My experience is that it is the private companies that rejoice in forms and procedures. I had the same experience with private medical care. Before the doctor could even say 'Good morning' I had to have an authorisation code for a consultation from the insurance company and it got worse as treatment was needed. There were arguments between doctor and insurance company about the cost, and whether the treatment was to be allowed etc. etc. Awful! It's the last thing you need if you are unwell or worried. You get none of this at the NHS.

Sad thing about the state pension has been the life-changing changes they have made to it at pretty short notice.

The latest scheme has not yet been finalised yet it started earlier this year - this creates an additional hazard of people being over-paid and having to make repayments.

Its been over two years that I have been trying to get a state-pension forecast and I still haven't managed to obtain one.

There are a lot of traps, there are loads of people that made voluntary contributions to pension schemes but have gained very little (or even nothing).

The national insurance credits system desperately needs to be re-vamped, I lost one years credit due to one single day missing thanks to an administrative mistake - fortunately I noticed and was able to have it corrected albeit it took a lot of messing around over a number of months. Credits should be done on a weekly or monthly basis.

My expected state pension (subject to them sorting out the rules) has halfed in the last two years. Pensions are supposed to be a life-long planning but massive changes at short notice make this a farce. The Government are supposed to maintain stability not increase instability.

Building a bigger soapbox for my next outburst on the subject.

Sorry that you are having such a hard time DD.
I made voluntary contributions for about 10 years and have had
no problems.

And the Government wonders why so many people shy away from entrusting their hard earned money into pensions.

http://www.waspi.co.uk will be doing a presentation at Wirral Unite Community Branch Meeting on 3rd March 2017 at 3pm. PM for details.

If I was solely reliant on the new state pension scheme, I have calculated that I would get £13.67 a week (£710 a year) from it despite paying into the state pension scheme for more than 30 years.

Hardly anybody will be eligible for the new flat rate of £155 for many years to come. The government using the words "flate rate" as flamboyantly as they lie about everything else.