Anything less than 52 weeks' worth of NI contributions results in that whole year not being counted, so you get nothing if you didn't get NI credits. Currently it is only possible to pay voluntary contributions for gaps from the last 6 years. It's unfair, and this limit should be removed.

Hard working people are already contributing with taxes and NI contributions to our society so we deserve something back. We don't want anything for free, we are happy to pay voluntary contributions to have the years with gaps recognised. It should be allowed, they are not gift years, we are happy to pay. Why should we lose whole years for only a few weeks' gaps? We believe it is very unfair, so we don't want handouts, we want to be allowed to pay voluntarily to have the years recognised.