NI class 2 voluntary contributions???

mimi_buzzard

Hello,

I need some advice as in 2006 I declared myself self-employed (freah out of uni and hopeful..!) and ran a tiny small business for which i held a small earnings exemption cetificate from october 2006-april 2008. However, sometime in that year i ticked a box to say i would pay voluntary class 2 NI contributions.

I paid the first bill but as they came each quarter I was not earning enough to pay the money and as they were 'voluntary' i did not think it mattered to not pay them.

In May of this year i received a bill for over £200 for contributions that i had failed to pay from may 2006 until april 2008. I was a little concerned as i had informed them i ceased being self employed in july 2010.

My business made bearly £500 a year! and although i probably did tick their box, i still held the exemption certificate so i thought i did not need to make the payments?

They are now demanding £230 which i cannot afford to pay. I have worked full time since 2006 (with the small business as a hobby) and paid full NI contributions via my salary each month so i am on top of my payments going to NI in that respect.

Does anyone know i am in the wrong or if they can go ahead and take legal action against me for this bill? I
am really worried now and everytime you call it says they are busy and to try later. I
have been writing to them but they are very slow considering i wrote in may they only just sent a letter this week confiming they recieved mine.

Please someone give me some advice:(

Savvy_Sue

Best advice I can give is to keep phoning, I'm afraid. I'm also a bit confused about when you stopped trading!

Beckyy

So you agreeds to pay voluntary contributions while you were also working fulltime?

I would phone them, they can tell you one way or another how it can be sorted.