Martin Lewis has issued an urgent reminder to the public about a critical deadline this weekend that could significantly boost their State Pension. The Money Saving Expert founder, who appeared on earlier this week, highlighted ways to save on Council Tax and with price increases looming in April.

He also provided a checklist for those aged between 40 and 73 to see if they can boost their State Pension by as much as £6,000. But he warned that time is running out for those with gaps in their National Insurance Contributions to fill them, with the cut-off date being April 5 to backdate payments to 2006.

After April 6, individuals will only be able to makeup for missing NI contributions from as far back as 2019, reports .

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During his TV appearance, Martin explained: "If you've got at least 10 years, you will get some State Pension, to get the full State Pension, you need around 35 years. If you get the full State Pension you currently get £221.20 per week, but from next week it's going up to £230.25 per week."

He pointed out that qualifying years are usually earned through work, caring responsibilities while receiving Child Benefit, or via certain Department for Work and benefits. However, he noted that "many are missing past NI years, commonly due to years abroad, low incomes, career breaks or not claiming credits", as reported by the Daily Record.

has urged people to check their State Pension and National Insurance records online as it could significantly boost their pension in retirement. He stressed: "One year usually adds £330 a year to your State Pension and it's protected by the Triple Lock, it's inflation proof, so if you live 20 years (typical life expectancy), that's a £6,000 annual gain."

To do this, follow two simple steps that can help uncover potential gaps in State Pension entitlement:

Incomplete NI years can affect your State Pension amount. A quick check on GOV.UK can identify any missing years.

The GOV.UK 'Check your State Pension forecast' page, available here, will help estimate your State Pension entitlement and confirm when you can start receiving payments. This is particularly relevant for individuals who began receiving their State Pension after April 2016 but don't yet get the full new State Pension of £221.20 per week, or those approaching the retirement age of 66. If you've conducted these checks and found that you're on track for the full, new State Pension, then no further action is required.

However, if there are gaps in your record, you now have the opportunity to explore how to boost your pension, potentially at no cost.

Here are three main strategies to increase your State Pension for free:

If you have the funds available, you can fill in gaps in your National Insurance (NI) record by buying voluntary class 3 NI contributions. Securing a full additional year costs around £825 or less, though part years will be cheaper - as low as £16.

For each year purchased, you receive 1/35th of a year's State Pension - about £329. This suggests that you effectively recoup your investment in roughly three years, making it potentially excellent value.

However, it's vital to confirm that it's beneficial for you to pay for these credits, so always consult with the Department for Work and Pensions () before proceeding.

You can find more information on how to fill in gaps in your National Insurance record on the GOV.UK website here.

Deciding whether to top up can be confusing, and ultimately there's no advantage in paying for more years than necessary as you won't get that money back.

The best course of action is to reach out to the UK Government's Future Pension Centre on 0800 731 0175 to verify how many years you can buy and if voluntary contributions will boost your State Pension.

Those who have already hit retirement age should get in touch with the Pension Service on 0800 731 0469.