Guide discussion: Voluntary national insurance contributions

RFVVV750

molerat said:

RFVVV750 said:

I can not to get through to pension forecast. To query about which years of national insurance to purchase to top up pension.

I am male, age 59, will not be working again.

34 years full contributions

Last full year 2012

2013-14 may be partial

Forecast - £127.19  based on 2016 forecast

Most can increase to is ?

Cope estimate is £32.92

 

From what I am reading and understanding, buying pre 2016 will not boost my pension ?

 

Is it possible to top up my pension, and what do I need to do.

 

I did a forecast in 2016 on gov.uk which I logged in using a now defunct email address. 

I have tried updating my email address on-line but was told

 

HM Revenue & Customs

 

Thank you for contacting the Digital Technical Support Team.

 

I am sorry, but due to a change in HMRC security processes, we are unable to amend email addresses, reissue your User ID or reset your password via this on-line route.

 

Unfortunately, the only way this can be done is by contacting the relevant service helpline

 

The helpline phone is impossible to get through on.

I have spent 3 hours or more trying to get through on various days

 

 

 

Thanks 

Pre 2016 years are highly unlikely to benefit, it would be 1 maximum if they could so best just discounting them.  Is that £127.19 the top line forecast amount or the at 2016 figure ?  Knowing that a back calculation can be done.

Based on it being the at April 2016 figure your current amount would be £151.27 meaning 7 more years are needed to reach the maximum.  Pre 2016 years are not viable. You retire in the 2028-29? tax year so have 6 years left to go with 6 post 2016 back years available so no panic apart from the price increases from April.  Your only way of getting this sorted is by speaking to FPC.

I have had no luck resetting my gov.uk account. I was on the helpline for 90 minutes this morning, only to be told all my details were correct ,so it should work. perhaps try a different browser. I did that already.    Anyway I did manage to get through to National Insurance contributions, after 80minutes. who stated that I had one partial year 2013-2014, to buy at £412 if I needed it but to check with future pensions on-line. I told them about my log in problems and they tried patching me through, But failed to get a reply. I was given the code to buy the 2013-14 partial year. will this be worth doing ?  I will try again to contact future pensions tomorrow morning to make sure it is worth it.   

molerat

RFVVV750 said:

molerat said:

RFVVV750 said:

I can not to get through to pension forecast. To query about which years of national insurance to purchase to top up pension.

I am male, age 59, will not be working again.

34 years full contributions

Last full year 2012

2013-14 may be partial

Forecast - £127.19  based on 2016 forecast

Most can increase to is ?

Cope estimate is £32.92

 

From what I am reading and understanding, buying pre 2016 will not boost my pension ?

 

Is it possible to top up my pension, and what do I need to do.

 

I did a forecast in 2016 on gov.uk which I logged in using a now defunct email address. 

I have tried updating my email address on-line but was told

 

HM Revenue & Customs

 

Thank you for contacting the Digital Technical Support Team.

 

I am sorry, but due to a change in HMRC security processes, we are unable to amend email addresses, reissue your User ID or reset your password via this on-line route.

 

Unfortunately, the only way this can be done is by contacting the relevant service helpline

 

The helpline phone is impossible to get through on.

I have spent 3 hours or more trying to get through on various days

 

 

 

Thanks 

Pre 2016 years are highly unlikely to benefit, it would be 1 maximum if they could so best just discounting them.  Is that £127.19 the top line forecast amount or the at 2016 figure ?  Knowing that a back calculation can be done.

Based on it being the at April 2016 figure your current amount would be £151.27 meaning 7 more years are needed to reach the maximum.  Pre 2016 years are not viable. You retire in the 2028-29? tax year so have 6 years left to go with 6 post 2016 back years available so no panic apart from the price increases from April.  Your only way of getting this sorted is by speaking to FPC.

I have had no luck resetting my gov.uk account. I was on the helpline for 90 minutes this morning, only to be told all my details were correct ,so it should work. perhaps try a different browser. I did that already.    Anyway I did manage to get through to National Insurance contributions, after 80minutes. who stated that I had one partial year 2013-2014, to buy at £412 if I needed it but to check with future pensions on-line. I told them about my log in problems and they tried patching me through, But failed to get a reply. I was given the code to buy the 2013-14 partial year. will this be worth doing ?  I will try again to contact future pensions tomorrow morning to make sure it is worth it.   

Is that April 2016 forecast the amount at April 2016 or the top line amount, the forecast usually gives several amounts and which one that is makes all the difference.  If it is the at April 2016 figure then pre 2016 years cannot add value.  The fine details or the forecast are very important.

molerat

windward10 said:

I am already claiming state pension but I was in the Fire Sevice and had been opted out for 23 years. My online information said I had 39 years of full contributions but 11 years when I didn't pay enough. I have been trying to sort this out for some while and I have requested a forecast but have been passed from pillar to post by the State Pension Service. The online NI details only show the years that were not full with no detail about how much.

I know they are stretched, especially after Martin's TV slot the other day, but I am really annoyed that I will miss the deadline due to the delays on their system. I am on chemo and have a bit of brain fog so this doesn't help when dealing with their confusing and circular contact options.

I found out today the forcast request is on the system but they are currently taking up to 6 months to be sent out. In addition it will take up to 6 months to register any additional payments on to their system before I will get any increase, although this should be back dated. For me timescale is quite important.

I am not sure about my actuarial life expectancy and whether it is going to be worth topping up. Is there any way to calculate how much I could top up or what the increase would be worth, without having to wait for their delayed forecast?

Class 3s are generally excellent value and pay back in around 3 years gross, and around 4 years after 20% tax.

Which years are viable to pay depends on your personal history.  Being fire service means you were in a contracted out scheme meaning any years 2015-16 and earlier most likely cannot add to your pension.

How much are you currently receiving, which financial year did you reach state retirement, how many full years pre 2016, how many post 2016, which years are showing as gaps.From that we can figure out your options.

jevans90

I have quite a unique situation and I'm struggling to find the right information online or know who to ask.

I am 33 and have only 9 years of contributions, which I plan to top up to the minimum of 10 to claim a state pension. I have 7 years where I can top up, 2008-2014, but the total amount for these is over £4,000.

I moved to Spain in 2019 and do not plan on moving back, so I will not keep adding to the state pension.

My questions are:

• Is it worth topping up all these years? What are the benefits?
• Should I just top up one year which is the smaller payment?
• Now I no longer live in the UK and don't plan on moving back, does this impact this decision?

Thanks in advance for any help people can give me.

molerat

Were you working in UK immediately before you left ?   Have you been working in Spain ?

jevans90

I was working self-employed for a short time after leaving so still contributed, but then was employed only in Spain from March 2020.

I have:

• Full contribution 2005-2008 (3 years)
• Gaps 2008-2014 (8 years)
• Full contributions 2014-2020 (6 years)
• Nothing 2020 onwards - living in Spain - and no option to contribute

This NI contributions would be for the years 2008-2014 I was in the UK, I was a student and/or earning a low wage.

molerat

If you were working in UK immediately  prior to leaving and are working in Spain you should be eligible to pay class 2 contributions going forward, and back to 2020, at just over £160 per year.  That will give you the same £5.29 per week as the £800 class 3.  https://www.gov.uk/national-insurance-if-you-go-abroad You can of course pay the £800 class 3 for any of those earlier gap years, each one adding £5.29 to your pension amount. 

jevans90

So is it not worth topping up those previous 8 years where I had gaps and just paying some NI contributions going forward? The years 2008-2014 are around 800pounds each to pay so it's a lot.
I understand if you cannot give a yes/no answer, but this has confused me a little 

RFVVV750

molerat said:

RFVVV750 said:

molerat said:

RFVVV750 said:

I can not to get through to pension forecast. To query about which years of national insurance to purchase to top up pension.

I am male, age 59, will not be working again.

34 years full contributions

Last full year 2012

2013-14 may be partial

Forecast - £127.19  based on 2016 forecast

Most can increase to is ?

Cope estimate is £32.92

 

From what I am reading and understanding, buying pre 2016 will not boost my pension ?

 

Is it possible to top up my pension, and what do I need to do.

 

I did a forecast in 2016 on gov.uk which I logged in using a now defunct email address. 

I have tried updating my email address on-line but was told

 

HM Revenue & Customs

 

Thank you for contacting the Digital Technical Support Team.

 

I am sorry, but due to a change in HMRC security processes, we are unable to amend email addresses, reissue your User ID or reset your password via this on-line route.

 

Unfortunately, the only way this can be done is by contacting the relevant service helpline

 

The helpline phone is impossible to get through on.

I have spent 3 hours or more trying to get through on various days

 

 

 

Thanks 

Pre 2016 years are highly unlikely to benefit, it would be 1 maximum if they could so best just discounting them.  Is that £127.19 the top line forecast amount or the at 2016 figure ?  Knowing that a back calculation can be done.

Based on it being the at April 2016 figure your current amount would be £151.27 meaning 7 more years are needed to reach the maximum.  Pre 2016 years are not viable. You retire in the 2028-29? tax year so have 6 years left to go with 6 post 2016 back years available so no panic apart from the price increases from April.  Your only way of getting this sorted is by speaking to FPC.

I have had no luck resetting my gov.uk account. I was on the helpline for 90 minutes this morning, only to be told all my details were correct ,so it should work. perhaps try a different browser. I did that already.    Anyway I did manage to get through to National Insurance contributions, after 80minutes. who stated that I had one partial year 2013-2014, to buy at £412 if I needed it but to check with future pensions on-line. I told them about my log in problems and they tried patching me through, But failed to get a reply. I was given the code to buy the 2013-14 partial year. will this be worth doing ?  I will try again to contact future pensions tomorrow morning to make sure it is worth it.   

Is that April 2016 forecast the amount at April 2016 or the top line amount, the forecast usually gives several amounts and which one that is makes all the difference.  If it is the at April 2016 figure then pre 2016 years cannot add value.  The fine details or the forecast are very important.

The 2016 forecast was from September.  Thanks for all your help molerat

pinnks

jevans90 said:

So is it not worth topping up those previous 8 years where I had gaps and just paying some NI contributions going forward? The years 2008-2014 are around 800pounds each to pay so it's a lot.
I understand if you cannot give a yes/no answer, but this has confused me a little 

No, because you have plenty of years left from 2020 onwards to achieve a maximum UK state pension.  Have a look at NI38 on GOV UK Social Security abroad: NI38 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). It tells you about eligibility for Class 2 NIC v Class 3 NIC when you are abroad.  You will need to complete the form CF83 and include the tick in the box to fill some of the historic gaps (but only those when you can pay Class 2 as there is no point shelling out £800+ when you can spend £165+ to get the same amount added to your pension.

You should also get an up-to-date pension forecast (online if you have a Govt Gateway ID, which you can now get as a non-resident).  That will show you what your current UK years will give you (probably will show as £0 as you have only 9 years but as soon as you pay 1 more) and enable you to see how many future years you will need to pay to get to the max.  This will probably be quite close to 35 for you but not necessarily because you, too, are in the transitional rules to move you from the old to the new state pension.

As you were in the UK and moved to Spain before the end of the Brexit transition period you are covered by the Withdrawal Agreement and the EU rules on pensions continue to apply.  You will therefor get a UK state pension based on whatever your NI record shows (probably a max pension if you continue paying voluntary NI) and a Spanish state pension using the aggregation of your UK and Spanish years (overlapping periods are counted only once) to get you past any minimum years requirements in Spain (I think they have a 15 year and 37.5 year requirement but there endeth my knowledge).  Your Spanish pension would then be based on the number of contribution years and € in Spain.