How to pay voluntary National Insurance contributions

wallofbeans

Hi All,
I've got a few gap years in NI contributions but one year that only needs a little top up to fill completely so I thought I would get it done now, but I can't seem to figure out how exactly to pay it!

I know which year I want to pay (2010-11). I've seen that I have a certain amount already from paid employment but I can make up the shortfall. I then found a form on the HMRC website that I think might be what I need but it might be for something else and so I am now confused.

Here's the form: https://ibb.co/6Wwh4tt

Has anyone done this? I thought it would be simple enough to do online but it seems not, or I've not quite found the correct way to do it yet...

Thanks. 

Joey_Soap

Yes, that looks right. I filled one in last year. They gave me permission to pay voluntarily NIC for 19/20 and I am about to work out how to make the payment. My next job is to check on the government gateway NIC account page to see exactly how much I have to send to them for the full year. So, I may be at the same stage as you. If you work out how to make the payment, please let me know. I have previously paid PAYE shortfall by electronic bank transfer. There's a HMRC account that you send to using your NIC and UTR numbers as identity. There's likely a similar system set up for NIC payments too?

Cheers

JS

wallofbeans

Joey_Soap said:

Yes, that looks right. I filled one in last year. They gave me permission to pay voluntarily NIC for 19/20 and I am about to work out how to make the payment. My next job is to check on the government gateway NIC account page to see exactly how much I have to send to them for the full year. So, I may be at the same stage as you. If you work out how to make the payment, please let me know. I have previously paid PAYE shortfall by electronic bank transfer. There's a HMRC account that you send to using your NIC and UTR numbers as identity. There's likely a similar system set up for NIC payments too?

Cheers

JS

I've done both self employed and PAYE in the past so that makes it even more confusing. I don't understand why I can't just fill in a form that says I want to pay the shortfall for 2010-11 and here's the amount you say is due. 

I keep finding pages telling me how easy it is to do and I should make sure it's a good idea to do so etc. But nothing on how exactly to pay it. I'm baffled. Hopefully someone will be able to help. 

Joey_Soap

Well, if needs be, I will write a nice little letter, send a cheque for the year and reference my NIC and UTR numbers on it. Sometimes the old way might just still be the easiest.

JS

whizzywoo

Normally you can't go back further than 6 years. 
Have a look here
https://www.gov.uk/voluntary-national-insurance-contributions/who-can-pay-voluntary-contributions

wallofbeans

whizzywoo said:

Normally you can't go back further than 6 years. 
Have a look here
https://www.gov.uk/voluntary-national-insurance-contributions/who-can-pay-voluntary-contributions

Normally, but not at the moment. This says I have until 5th April 2023 to pay it.

But how do I pay it? 

molerat

whizzywoo said:

Normally you can't go back further than 6 years. 
Have a look here
https://www.gov.uk/voluntary-national-insurance-contributions/who-can-pay-voluntary-contributions

Currently you can buy 2006-07 to 2015-16 up until April 2023, those years are treated the same as 2016-17.

molerat

wallofbeans said:

whizzywoo said:

Normally you can't go back further than 6 years. 
Have a look here
https://www.gov.uk/voluntary-national-insurance-contributions/who-can-pay-voluntary-contributions

Normally, but not at the moment. This says I have until 5th April 2023 to pay it.

But how do I pay it? 

https://www.gov.uk/pay-voluntary-class-3-national-insurance

Good old fashioned letter and cheque was my preferred method.

More importantly are you sure that pre 2016 years will add benefit to your pension ?

noh

At present they are not accepting payment by cheque through the post.

https://www.gov.uk/pay-voluntary-class-3-national-insurance/by-post

The best way to pay in my experience is to ring  HMRC National Insurance helpline
Telephone: 0300 200 3500

They will give you a reference number and account details to make a faster payment.

wallofbeans

molerat said:

wallofbeans said:

whizzywoo said:

Normally you can't go back further than 6 years. 
Have a look here
https://www.gov.uk/voluntary-national-insurance-contributions/who-can-pay-voluntary-contributions

Normally, but not at the moment. This says I have until 5th April 2023 to pay it.

But how do I pay it? 

https://www.gov.uk/pay-voluntary-class-3-national-insurance

Good old fashioned letter and cheque was my preferred method.

More importantly are you sure that pre 2016 years will add benefit to your pension ?

I looked at this previously, but it doesn't ever mention how you make sure that the payment you are making is for the specific year you want to cover the shortfall of. I'm still confused. Do I really have to take up my time and theirs on the phone when it could just be simply put on the website somewhere.

wallofbeans

noh said:

At present they are not accepting payment by cheque through the post.

https://www.gov.uk/pay-voluntary-class-3-national-insurance/by-post

The best way to pay in my experience is to ring  HMRC National Insurance helpline
Telephone: 0300 200 3500

They will give you a reference number and account details to make a faster payment.

So you have to call them to get a reference number and then use the internet to make the payment? How odd. And I wonder why they don't say this anywhere on their site. Do they not want my money?