Voluntary contributions, also known as class 3 national insurance contributions, stood at £391.9mn for the year ending March 31, 2023.
According to Hargreaves Lansdown, this is an 85 per cent surge on the £212.3mn paid the previous year.
Class 3 contributions are voluntary contributions that can be used to fill gaps in national insurance records to boost state pension entitlement.
Individuals can fill gaps going back six tax years though there is an opportunity for some people to fill gaps going back to 2006.
The deadline for making these extra top ups was extended to April 2025 after a surge in interest overwhelmed Department for Work and Pensions helplines.
Helen Morrissey, head of retirement analysis at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: “A quick glance at these accounts shows why DWP helplines went into meltdown earlier this year as class 3 contributions leapt an incredible 85 per cent.
“As the deadline ticked down for people racing to boost their state pension with voluntary credits the phone lines buckled causing the DWP to extend the deadline to April 2025.
“The extra time will be welcomed by those who faced long call waiting times and with an online process expected next year we can expect many more people to take advantage of this great opportunity.”
The amount of state pension a person receives is based on their NI record and they need 35 years’ worth of contributions for a full state pension.
Getting a state pension forecast on the government website allows individuals to check how on track they are to receive the state pension and they can identify any gaps.
In terms of filling any gaps, Hargreaves Lansdown said the first thing to do is check to see if you qualified for a benefit that comes with a voluntary NI credit.
Child Benefit or Universal Credit are key examples.
Individuals can also buy voluntary national insurance credits to fill any gaps.
Voluntary NI contributions can be brought for the past six tax years but there is currently an opportunity for men born after April 5, 1951 or a woman born after April 5, 1953 to plug gaps going back to 2006.
sonia.rach@ft.com
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