Shortfall in National Insurance Contributions

jodie264

Paid NI through salaried employment all my life up til 2004 when I went self employed. Since then have paid my self employed NI plus pay NI alongside tax payments - at least I am assuing I have. Bit worried now reading some posts on here. How will this affect my pension (the additional one) - says on my TP estimate that it will be basic plus £327 or thereabouts? How am I able to find out if there will be any other amount due from payments over last 5/6 years?

peter999

jodie264 wrote: »

Paid NI through salaried employment all my life up til 2004 when I went self employed. Since then have paid my self employed NI plus pay NI alongside tax payments - at least I am assuing I have. Bit worried now reading some posts on here. How will this affect my pension (the additional one) - says on my TP estimate that it will be basic plus £327 or thereabouts? How am I able to find out if there will be any other amount due from payments over last 5/6 years?

Phone them up and also get state pension forecast.

peter999

weaversmiths

If your State Pension forecast looks low, question it. My forecast (10 or so years ago) was for a pension of roughly one third of the full state pension despite my paying a full stamp and working for all years less a couple when when I had my son. DWP had, quite simply, only credited me with a married woman's stamp despite my paying a full one. They claimed I had elected to pay a married woman's stamp in 1964 - this was for a 6 week period when I worked in a shop for Christmas. Because I actually carried out the payroll at my next permanent job (where the employer had to physically buy the stamps) I was able to argue with them and, after many many letters, eventually they agreed to pay me by virtue of my ex-husband's contributions. (I quickly agreed as he never paid a contribution in his life!). I lost about £1 per week on the deal but that was certainly better than two-thirds. So, if you think you are being short changed, challenge it and dont take no for an answer.

angeace

i have been working for about 10 years but not earning enough to pay national insurance, is it worth me now increasing my hours to start paying national insurance?
or should i just save fiver in an isa each week instead?

Mr_Stroudley

Hi, I'm already drawing a full state pension. My wife is drawing a reduced one based on my contributions, having always been on the Married Woman's NI Rate. She was 60 in April 2009. I understand that up to 6 years of NI missing years may be purchased before April 2011 and the resulting increase to the State Pension back-dated to the date of first drawing that State Pension, but that after this April such back-dating is not possible. If I have that right (probably not!) does that apply in my wife's case (probably not!)?
BTW we tried the Pension Service advice freephone number 08007317898, but were told that we had to call 08456060265, but then they told us to call Revenue and Customs NI Helpline 08456042391, which didn't answer before we rang off after +6 minutes. A rather expensive way to waste time! Saynoto0870 doesn't seem to offer any cheaper alternatives. Are there in fact any cheaper geographic numbers, or even 03 ones, to use instead?
We'll be very grateful for any help and advice to reduce our confusion. Thanks

anmarj

Mr_Stroudley wrote: »

Hi, I'm already drawing a full state pension. My wife is drawing a reduced one based on my contributions, having always been on the Married Woman's NI Rate. She was 60 in April 2009. I understand that up to 6 years of NI missing years may be purchased before April 2011 and the resulting increase to the State Pension back-dated to the date of first drawing that State Pension, but that after this April such back-dating is not possible. If I have that right (probably not!) does that apply in my wife's case (probably not!)?
BTW we tried the Pension Service advice freephone number 08007317898, but were told that we had to call 08456060265, but then they told us to call Revenue and Customs NI Helpline 08456042391, which didn't answer before we rang off after +6 minutes. A rather expensive way to waste time! Saynoto0870 doesn't seem to offer any cheaper alternatives. Are there in fact any cheaper geographic numbers, or even 03 ones, to use instead?
We'll be very grateful for any help and advice to reduce our confusion. Thanks

http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/groups/dg_digitalassets/@dg/@en/@shared/documents/digitalasset/dg_180385.pdf


http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/groups/dg_digitalassets/@dg/@en/@shared/documents/digitalasset/dg_180387.pdf

I have a feeling that this closed last year, as I know that people had to leave their details on a answering machine and then the relevant team were dealing with this and calling people back to see if they were eligable.

Mr_Stroudley

It seems, as I suspected, that my wife's Married Woman Rate excluded her anyway, no matter if it's closed. A quote from your first link:

"Can I pay voluntary contributions for any years when I paid the married
woman’s rate?

If you are a married woman or widow, you cannot pay voluntary contributions for
any tax year where you had chosen to pay the married woman’s reduced rate for
the whole of that year."

Thanks anmarj, you've saved us further wasted time and expense exploring this. I'm much obliged.

peonyred4

Sorry, this is not a reply but I could not find a better thread .!
My husband enquired about making up my NI contributions years ago. He was asked for almost £3.000, which he paid.
He was then told it would make not difference after all but was refused a refund.
I now only recive the basic pension.
Please is there any hope at all of recovering our money ?
Would be so grateful for help as we really need this.
Thank you.

darren72

A family member is due to retire on 6 March 2012, and will have 29/30 qualifying years. They received a letter advising them that they could make up the gap by paying £132.60 by 5th April 2010 (Which has now gone).

My question is whether it is worth making up the gap (I believe it is still possible, but the amount they need to pay will have increased).

Or is it possible to defer the pension, and if this is done, will the 2011/2012 tax years contribution then count as the 30th year ?

Any help appreciated.

sudsey_2

Can some one help me please with my predicament due to paying married womans stamp for some years I am now unemployed & have a short fall of 3 years What can I do as I was badly advised many years ago to pay this lower rate & now it has backfired when it is Pension time of my life?