Guide discussion: Voluntary national insurance contributions

nickutd

I have telephoned the future pensions number to obtain the necessary information to pay for missing contributions for past 3 years, but cannot get further than being told by answering machine to call back after April. My concern is that in my forecast, the amount to pay for years 2020 to 2021, and for 2019 to 2020 'may increase after 5th April 2023'. I wish to buy these years at the amounts currently quoted, but this is not possible if They will not speak to me until after the figure is due to increase.

molerat

the amount to pay for years 2020 to 2021, and for 2019 to 2020 'may increase after 5th April 2023'.

No may about it.  They will increase to £907.40 each.

If you are confident they will increase your pension just phone HMRC and get the code and pay.

nickutd

The recorded message does not have an option to talk to a human to ask for the essential code to enable payment, just goes in a loop instructing to ring after April

jem16

nickutd said:

The recorded message does not have an option to talk to a human to ask for the essential code to enable payment, just goes in a loop instructing to ring after April

Are you saying that's the HMRC number you're getting this from?

If so then the only option would be to send a cheque and ensure it gets there by 5th April.

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

nickutd

The recorded message says they are only dealing with pre 2016 years for voluntary payments and to ring after April for later years.

p00hsticks

nickutd said:

The recorded message does not have an option to talk to a human to ask for the essential code to enable payment, just goes in a loop instructing to ring after April

You obtain the 'essential code' from HMRC National Insurance Enquiries, not the DWP Future PensionCentre (althoguh the former may ask if you have first spoken to the latter for advice on whether buying the year would be beneficial).

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-revenue-customs/contact/national-insurance-enquiries-for-employees-and-individuals

jem16

nickutd said:

The recorded message says they are only dealing with pre 2016 years for voluntary payments and to ring after April for later years.

Yes but where is the recorded message? Is it a recorded message when phoning the Future Pension Centre or when phoning the HMRC NI number?

If it's the FPC then, as long as you are sure the years will improve your pension, then forget them and phone the HMRC NICs phone number 0300 200 3500 and get your 18 digit reference number and you can pay by bank transfer.

If you're not sure if the years will help then post the details of your forecast and you can get help here.

rus4r

Hi, I’m hoping someone can give me clarity on this an if it worth doing? I'm looking to fill gaps in my NI contributions prior to 5 April 2023 to increase my pension close to maximum and hoping someone will be able to take a look at my records to check my understanding of what I need to do to achieve this or put me straight.  My plan is to pay contributions to fill gaps for years:  2008/09 (£269.45), 2010/11 (£301), these years as they’re cheaper to obtain for sake of £570 may give me 20+ yrs extra pension?, plus im considering 3 of the other years (I assume it doesn't matter which) to increase the pension amount to £180+ ?.

My records show:

You can get your State Pension on 6 July 2044

Your forecast is £185.15 a week, £805.07 a month, £9,660.86 a year

Estimate based on your National Insurance record up to 5 April 2022: £143.45 a week

Forecast if you contribute another 8 years before 5 April 2044

£185.15 a week

£185.15 is the most you can get

You cannot improve your forecast any further, unless you choose to put off claiming.

If you’re working you may still need to pay National Insurance contributions until 6 July 2044 as they fund other state benefits and the NHS.

You have:

24 years of full contributions

22 years to contribute before 5 April 2044

5 years when you did not contribute enough

 

2022 to 2023

Your record for this year is not available yet

 

2011 to 2012

Year is not full

Hide 2011 to 2012 details

You did not make any contributions this year

Find out more about gaps in your record and how to check them.

You can make up the shortfall

Pay a voluntary contribution of £824.20 by 5 April 2023. This shortfall may increase after 5 April 2023.

Find out more about voluntary contributions.

 

2010 to 2011

Year is not full

Hide 2010 to 2011 details

You have contributions from

National Insurance credits: 33 weeks

These may have been added to your record if you were ill/disabled, unemployed, caring for someone full-time or on jury service.

Find out more about gaps in your record and how to check them.

You can make up the shortfall

Pay a voluntary contribution of £301.15 by 5 April 2023. This shortfall may increase after 5 April 2023.

Find out more about voluntary contributions.

 

2009 to 2010

Year is not full

Hide 2009 to 2010 details

You did not make any contributions this year

Find out more about gaps in your record and how to check them.

You can make up the shortfall

Pay a voluntary contribution of £824.20 by 5 April 2023. This shortfall may increase after 5 April 2023.

Find out more about voluntary contributions.

 

2008 to 2009

Year is not full

Hide 2008 to 2009 details

You have contributions from

Paid employment: £247.58

Find out more about gaps in your record and how to check them.

You can make up the shortfall

Pay a voluntary contribution of £269.45 by 5 April 2023. This shortfall may increase after 5 April 2023.

Find out more about voluntary contributions.

1996 to 1997

Year is not full

Hide 1996 to 1997 details

You have contributions from

Paid employment: £118.65

Find out more about gaps in your record and how to check them.

It’s too late to pay for this year. You can usually only pay for the last 6 years.

 

molerat

You need another 8 years to reach the max with 22 years to do it.  Are working and do you intend to continue working for another 8 years ?  If so there is no need to do anything as you are going to get there anyway. The 2 part filled cheaper years will just get you there slightly quicker

muttleyb

Hello, this is my first post, so please let me know if I have missed out any essential information. Thank you in advance to anyone who can help me with this.

My records show the following:
I can get my state pension from December 2033.
Forecast if I contribute another 7 years before 5 April 2023 is £185.15 a week.
Estimate based on NI record up to 5 April 2022 is £150.04 a week.

I have 24 years of full contributions
11 years to contribute before 5 April 2033
16 years when I did not contribute enough.

I have not made any contributions since 2010/2011 (ie that was the last year I paid voluntary contributions). I have never been contracted out. I do not qualify for any carers credits (I care for my elderly mother but not enough hours a week to claim carers credits.) I do not intend being in paid employment again before state pension age.

My question is whether paying the pre-2016 years will make any difference to my state pension. From what I have read on here, I think they will, but this seems to be a grey area, and I would like clarification before I go ahead (I have tried phoning the FPC but get cut off as presumably the queue is too long). I realise I have enough time to get the extra 7 years required to get the full SPA pension by paying my post 16/17 contributions and continuing to do so for a few more years yet, so perhaps I am over-complicating things by wanting to pay the 2011/2012 - 2015/2016 years. But I can't help wondering if the goalposts might be moved again before I reach SPA and then I might regret not having paid the pre-2016 years.

Many thanks for your help with this.