-
Guide discussion: Voluntary national insurance contributions
This is the place to discuss our new guide on voluntary national insurance contributions. We'd love to hear your thoughts, personal experiences, and general feedback. If you haven’t already, join the forum to reply. If you aren’t sure how it all works, read our New to Forum? Intro Guide.'
-
If You Have Registered For A Call Back Look Here
There are a couple of messages showing in on line tax accounts and
-
MSE guide: How much state pension will I get?
Some common questions about your state pension forecast are covered in our guide, such as: * What are qualifying NI years and how many do you have? * Why you might get less state pension than you thought * How much state pension will I get? * How can I boost my state pension?
-
NI years are now full, existing OAP, when should I expect my monthly payments to reflect this?
Having paid to complete gaps in my National insurance Record all NI years I needed to receive a full pension are now showing as full on my NI record. I have been receiving my state pension since December 2024. When should I expect my monthly payments to increase to reflect the additional years?
-
Confused about buying Pre 2016 and Post 2016 years
I'm a little confused as when reading on here I keep seeing that purchasing pre 2016 years gets slightly less pension than post 2016. I'm a few years short of full pension and every option I've been offered (combinations of pre and post 2016 years) works out at £6.32 extra per week. Am I missing something? Please can…
-
Voluntary NI Contributions – What to Expect After Requesting a Callback
This is just a quick update for anyone who registered for a callback from HMRC regarding voluntary National Insurance contributions after the deadline. I spoke to Inland Revenue, and they confirmed the process: * They will attempt to call you three times. So don’t panic if you miss the first call. * Once they reach you,…
-
CF83 submitted after April 2025 deadline
I have been living and working abroad since 2010 but unfortunately was unaware of the April 2025 deadline to submit a CF83 and pay NI contributions back to 2010 but thought I might as well submit one anyway to pay the last 6 years which I did in June 2025. Today I got a response from HMRC with a table that goes all the way…
-
What happens when you run out of money ?
I have been struggling to find any advice on this - the situation is: I am a76 years old divorced woman and have a full state pension. I was made redundant in 2020 and took retirement. I had put an Equity release option in place in 2018, so started drawing down on this once my redundancy money ran out , to cover my bills…
-
HMRC: Answer to my application to pay Class 2 contributions to buy NI gap is after April's deadline!
Hi MoneySaving Forumers, After reading MSE's pensions-and-retirement pension-wise article (Thank you!), I intend to decide if it is worth filling the gaps in my National Insurance record. In order to do so, I applied to HMRC to pay voluntary Class 2 contributions - as the gaps represent the period whilst I…
-
Class 2 NICS - complex case - may have been misadvised - leading to miss 2025 deadline
Title: Voluntary NI contributions (overseas) – payments made but no allocation + missed earlier years? Hi all – I’d really appreciate some help understanding where I stand with my National Insurance record. Background: I’ve been working overseas for several years (same employment throughout). I applied using CF83 in 2023…
-
MSE NEWS: At or near State Pension age? Check NOW if you’re due missing Child Benefit credits
Higher earners across the UK who missed out on National Insurance (NI) credits because they didn't claim Child Benefit will now have to wait an extra year to more easily fill gaps in their NI record. The delay won't affect most people, but if you're at, or very close to, State Pension age, you can act now by complaining to…
-
Have permanently stopped working is it worth paying off the final remaining gap in NI contribution?
Am 59 yrs old male and have fully paid up NI contributions with only one gap remaining which will equate to a weekly pension from 6/3/2034 of £227.14 The final gap payable will cost me £907.40 (possibly due to be increase from 6/4?) and this increase the weekly pension by £3.11 to £230.25 Is it worth or beneficial to pay…
-
Total pension contribution years required
On the government gateway I can see the I'm eligible to full state pension even though some years I was contracted out (Although they don't state on the website which years were opted out). This maximum state pension is based on me working until 67. What I want to know is how many years I'm required to work? I'm luck to be…
-
Proof of Class 3 Validity - Working Abroad
Last March I sent in the form requesting to pay Voluntary NI. Today I received a reply which offered the options below but at the higher rate - approx 900 GBP a year.They are also asking for payment for much of the years within 31 days I have worked outside the UK from 2002 until retirement in 2023 - I believe I should be…
-
paid top up contribution but still not allocated
I need some help and advice on what to do next. It is now 78 weeks since I paid the voluntary contribution amount and it still has not been allocated. I have phone regularly - only once could I not get through - each time the customer service personnel made an urgent referral for allocation to be processed. I have made a…
-
MSE NEWS: 'I reclaimed £25,000 after taking time off to provide care' – can you do the same?
Two MoneySavers have boosted their State Pensions by thousands of pounds after hearing MoneySavingExpert.com (MSE) founder Martin Lewis's warnings about people potentially missing out. If you took time off work between 1978 and 2010 to look after children, or to provide care, you too could be due £10,000s – though check…
-
reduced pension payments
I have been in touch with DPWP regards my wife's pension she gets £109.48 a week I questioned this and got her N.I. record from HMRC. The record showed that she had 28 years full and 11 years not full, the years not full was when she was looking after our children?. At these times she was claiming child benefit. Can she us…
-
Pay old Class 3 contributions or just recent Class 2?
I was hoping for some advice. I finally got a call back from DWP (as well as submitting a CF83 form) and although they accidentally cut me off and I didn't get to finish asking these questions, I recently received a letter detailing years that I can make voluntary pension payments for. I have three years from 2022-2025…
-
New guidance for voluntary NI contributions for time abroad including transitional arrangements
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-the-new-rules-on-or-before-5-april-2026-for-paying-voluntary-national-insurance-for-time-abroad There's finally been an update on the transitional arrangements. Here are the criteria for paying voluntary contributions under the old 3-year rule: You must meet all the following: you applied…
-
Gaps in National insurance contributions
Hi everyone, I’m trying to decide whether it’s worth paying voluntary National Insurance contributions to fill some gaps in my record. I’m 44 and my State Pension age is 2049. My forecast says: £203.93 per week (£10,640.78 a year) “£203.93 is the most you can get” It assumes I’ll contribute another 24 years. I currently…
-
State Pension Forecast and Buying Years
A couple of years ago my wife checked her state pension forecast and was missing a couple of years, we duly paid the amounts which brought it up to date and she was then showing a full pension. We've just checked now and because she now has more missing years ( she doesn't work, doesn't claim benefits etc ) it's saying…
-
Paid gaps in N.I a year ago, still not updated.
I was living abroad in the late 90s til 2010 so I had some NI gaps. After proving I lived in Spain I was allowed to pay 3 missing years which totalled to £450, paid this online then called them at the time in Feb25 and they confirmed payment had been accepted. Just checked and still not updated online a year later?! Is…
-
Contracted out but no effect on new state pension forecast?
Hi, I thought I'd look at the muddy world of my state pension forecast and I'm a little confused. I just hit 60, but I only started a workplace pension in early 2002. My new state pension forecast tells me "Your forecast is £221.20 a week, £961.83 a month, £11,541.90 a year" "£221.20 is the most you can get. You cannot…
