Thanks

From_Cordoba

Thanks Eveyone

p00hsticks

Firstly you need to get a state pension forecast and look at you NI record (if you have one) to see exactly what your position is.

https://www.gov.uk/check-state-pension

https://www.gov.uk/check-national-insurance-record

(your forecast should include a link to a summary of your NI record for each year.)

Are you currently registered with HMRC as self employed ? If so the cheapest way to build up your pension is to make voluntary class 2 contributions.

https://www.gov.uk/voluntary-national-insurance-contributions

Bear in mind that under current rules you need a minumum of ten years contributions to qualify for any form of state pension. If you were registered as self employed prior to moving to North America you may be able to go back and pay for the years abroad, but I'm not sure.

jamesd

Best for you to telephone the National Insurance: non-UK residents helpline. They will be able to tell you whether you're still able to pay class 2 NI for any of the years abroad (probably too long ago) or whether any EU or other contributions you have will help. You probably can pay voluntary class 3 NI back to 2006 if needed but this must be done no later than 5 April 2023.

You're 40 years old now and for those who first started work in April 2016 it takes 35 years to get to the maximum single tier (new) state pension. You're not in quite that position but you have at least 27 more years to state pension age and may have six years fro 2003 to 2009, though NI says not, that's worth checking with your online NI contribution history. In addition to the 27 years if HMRC is right you can buy years from 2006 to 2020, potentially another 15 years to take you as high as 42 years. This means that it's certain that if you can afford it you will be able to get to the maximum single tier state pension somehow.

Writing a book is a form of self-employment so for the years you've been doing that you should be able to pay class 2 NI contributions, which are much cheaper than class 3.

SusieT

As above you need to speak to the pension service and find out what your options are. It may be that as you do not appear to have paid anything yet, that (like me) you cannot have any years before 2016 count towards your pension, so asking first is the best thing that you can do.