A new online service where people can check their National Insurance record and plug any gaps has been launched by HMRC, and it's great news for parents who have taken time out of work to raise their family.
When you take time off work to have a baby or raise your family, you can find your earnings dip below the threshold at which you should be paying National Insurance. This might seem great at the time, but having gaps in your NI payment record can mean you won't get the full state pension when you retire. And mothers are more likely to suffer the effects of the motherhood penalty, as they tend to be the ones to take the career breaks, and the most likely to request flexible working after parental leave.
