Pre April 2016 Voluntary NI

jsoap

Got my online forecast, at £119.30 and a COPE estimate £72.96.
I'm 56 and have 31 years NI contributions, mostly contracted out. So the starting rate was based on the the old system.
My online statement shows that I have gaps for the past 10 years with varying amounts to fill in the gaps.
I had hoped to backdate these years to increase the starting rate by £4.45 each year. Reading around this seems to have been a bit optimistic. From what I can tell filling these pre 2016 gaps will only add extra years the old system which will have no effect at all.
Is this right?- if so seems a bit misleading to indicate that you can fill the gaps, when it will have no effect.

WillowCat

At 56 you should have at least 10 years ahead of you until retirement for you to make contributions. These contributions will increase the starting rate as you say - up to the maximum. You are correct in thinking that backdated contributions would have no effect.

If you are still working then your normal NI contributions will be fine, otherwise think about making voluntary contributions.

jsoap

Thanks. I was hoping to pay some class 2 for the last 5 years, but that's not going to happen now. Earlier on today I had called the NI people to set this up, there wasn't even a hint about it being the wrong thing to do. When I called the DWP for clarification, they said that because I had an online quote, they could not answer any question since I had not requested a paper quote.

xylophone

http://citywire.co.uk/new-model-adviser/news/steve-webb-how-to-boost-new-state-pension-payments/a827032