How many years you'll need to work to get full £230.25 weekly payout

To qualify for the full New State Pension, retirees need to have worked a certain number of years. The DWP reports that 13 million people are currently receiving a regular income from the State Pension.

This benefit is available to those who have reached the Government's eligible retirement age, which is currently 66 for both men and women, and have made at least 10 years' worth of National Insurance (NI) contributions.

However, many people approaching retirement may not be aware that to receive the full New State Pension payment of £230.25 per week, they will need approximately 35 years' worth of NI contributions. This figure is an average, as some people may have been 'contracted out' and will require more NI contributions to qualify for the full amount - further details can be found on GOV.UK here.

Workplace and private pensions will supplement the State Pension in retirement, but many people may rely on this contributory benefit as their only income in retirement, so it's crucial to understand how many years of NI contributions are needed to receive the maximum payout.

The State Pension age is set to increase to 67 between 2026 and 2028, with another planned rise to 68 expected in the mid-2040s, according to the Daily Record.

How to qualify for any New State Pension payment

You'll need a minimum of 10 qualifying years on your National Insurance record to be eligible for any State Pension, but these don't have to be 10 consecutive years.

This means that for at least 10 years, one or more of the following applied to you:

• you were working and paid National Insurance contributions
• you were getting National Insurance credits for example if you were unemployed, ill, a parent or a carer
• you were paying voluntary National Insurance contributions

If you've lived or worked overseas, you might still be able to receive some New State Pension. You may also qualify if you've made married women's or widow's reduced rate contributions.

How to receive full New State Pension payments

The first thing to note is that 'full' refers to the maximum amount of New State Pension an individual can receive.

You'll need approximately 35 qualifying years to receive the full New State Pension if you don't have a National Insurance record prior to 6 April 2016 - this could be more if you were 'contracted out', find out more here.

For individuals who have contributed between 10 and 35 years, they are eligible for a portion of the new State Pension, but not the full amount unless they purchase additional NI years.

Qualifying years if you're working

When you're employed, you pay National Insurance and earn a qualifying year if:

• you're employed and earning over £242 a week from one employer
• you're self-employed and paying NI contributions

You might not be paying National Insurance contributions because your earnings are less than £242 a week. However, you may still earn a qualifying year if you make between £123 and £242 a week from one employer - find out more here.

Qualifying years if you're not working

You may receive National Insurance credits if you're unable to work - for instance due to illness or disability, or if you're a carer or unemployed.

You can receive National Insurance credits if you:

• claim Child Benefit for a child under 12 (or under 16 before 2010)
• get Jobseeker's Allowance or Employment and Support Allowance
• receive Carer's Allowance

What happens if there are gaps in your National Insurance record?

Even with gaps in your National Insurance (NI) record, you can still receive the full New State Pension. A State Pension statement can provide information on how much State Pension you may be eligible for.

You can also request a National Insurance statement from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to check for any gaps in your record.

If there are gaps in your National Insurance record that could hinder you from receiving the full New State Pension, you might have the option to:

• get National Insurance credits
• make voluntary National Insurance contributions

Check your National Insurance record on GOV.UK here.

Check your State Pension age

You can determine when you're eligible to retire and claim State pension by checking your State Pension age using the free online tool at GOV.UK here.

This will provide you with:

• when you will reach State Pension age
• your Pension Credit qualifying age