Being self-employed and the State Pension – NI rules, rates and filling gaps
How the State Pension works if you’re self-employed, including NI rates, qualifying years, how to fill gaps, and why you may need extra retirement savings.
If you’re self-employed, saving for retirement is entirely your responsibility because you don’t have an employer pension scheme.
The good news is that there are flexible and tax-efficient pension options designed specifically for sole traders.
In this section we explain how self-employed pensions work, how much you can contribute, the tax relief available, and how to plan properly for retirement.