unpaid National Insurance

castle96

I am now 57. Been employed for last 2 yrs, paying NI. Employed from 16-27. The gap from 27-55,, I was s/employed, paying only class 4 conts, no class 2. OK, it will affect my pension (how much - I don't want to ask them for a forcast), but CAN they come back to me for unpaid conts ?/ No of yrs ? or amount.... thanks

castle96

anyone, on this please ??

Pollycat

Just curious - why don't you want to ask for a pension forecast?

EdInvestor

Class 2 conts are very cheap since around 2,000, about £2-£3 a month.You may have to pay up but the damage may not be as bad as you think.

alared

Don`t forget from next year you need only have paid 30 years to get a full state pension.
Down from 44 years for a man.

castle96

I don't want to get clobbered for 28 yrs NI conts, that's why. If it is £36pa from 2000, what was it before ?? Is there a site somewhere ?

Have checked with Accountant. ONLY Class 4 was ever paid/added to tax bill. No class 2 (that was "up to me")

zygurat789

It is some years since I learnt that they can only claimback 6 years at the current rate £2.30pw (nil if income less than £4825) but payments made over 3 (I think) did not qualify for pension calculations.
This could mean that your pension will be rather small, however, you could investigate the Minimum Income Guarantee which could increase it.
Hope this gives you other avenues to explore.

sleepless_saver

zygurat789 wrote: »

This could mean that your pension will be rather small, however, you could investigate the Minimum Income Guarantee which could increase it.
Hope this gives you other avenues to explore.

There's no Minimum Income Guarantee any longer - it's pension credit now. If the OP bit the bullet and got a forecast from thePension Service, they could feed the info into entitledto.com to see what means tested benefits their household would be eligible for post state pension age.

sleepless_saver

As your state pension age will be after April 2010, then you will get 1/30 of the basic pension for each qualifying year. So if you had 10 qualifying years, you would get 10/30*£95.25 = £31.75 weekly (plus any state second pension you might be entitled to).

castle96

plus Pension Credits (if I dont have too much in savings)........ ?
Tops up to a full state pension I think ?
Seems 'unfair' on those who HAVE paid full NI.
Wonder what limit of savings, is

EdInvestor

I fear you will have to pay these back conts.

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/nic/class2.htm

They are 'not optional', says HMRC.

Subject to certain specific exceptions, you are liable to pay Class 2 National Insurance contributions: it is not optional. If you are liable to pay, failure to do so could result in legal action being taken to recover those unpaid National Insurance contributions.