Voluntary Contributions from US

System

This discussion was created from comments split from: Voluntary Contributions.

RBurgin

Hi,
I have been looking at my NI history and have gaps too. I know I can't do anything about the three years at University in the 1990s, but wondered if it was worth making voluntary contributions for the other years. I'm 52, currently not working and moved to the USA in 2014. Since 2014 I've not paid NI. The class 3 amounts are about £795 for each year. I saw somewhere that I might be able to pay class 2 which is a much lower amount. So, should I make any VCs, class 3 or class 2 (if I actually can)? I don't know when or if I'll return to the UK. If I don't,.that's another question I have about my pension. Thanks in advance.

mark55man

I'm afraid I can't help with the international aspect - lots of people recommend contacting the future pension centre so that might be worth a look.  Also (trying to be helpful not critical) its probably going to be seen by more people if you literally cut and paste your question into a new thread, as a lot of people (myself included) are more likely to read a new thread than an old one.

I think you have to be declared Self Employed to pay Class 2, and also think you can only do that if you earn over the LEL (or its self employed equivalent).  I'm out of my comfort zone on that one so please check.  I would say check first if you can do anything at all while you are not resident.  The value of your investment will be less as I think if you are overseas you don't get CPI

molerat

If you were working prior to leaving the UK and then working in the US you should be eligible to pay class 2.

MallyGirl

I have split this out into a separate thread so it doesn't get confusing 

nigelbb

It's all explained in HMRC leaflet NI38 "Social Security abroad" https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/832814/NI38.pdf