Guide discussion: Voluntary national insurance contributions

pinnks

It looks from what you have posted as though you probably have 11 full years but seeing your NI record would confirm that.  You can now get access to the government gateway ID as a non-resident using the GOV.UK ID Check App.

Assuming you have 11 full NI years up to 5 April 2016, then if you buy only 2016/17 onwards the max you can get is just under £185 per week.  If you purchase some pre-2016/17 years you can achieve £203.85. 

The cheapest option to get the max would seem to be to purchase 6 pre-2016/17 years to get you to £93.74, and then 19 years 2016/17 onwards to get to £203.85.  The slightly more expensive route, but one that gives a couple of years "protection" against wasting your money in the event of meeting an early demise, would be to buy only 4 pre-2016/17 years but then all 21 remaining 2016/17 and later years.

I am sure someone will correct me if I have messed up the maths here.., 

SwiftSuzie

Good point about meeting the early demise!

pinnks

The older you get the more you think about that one - it's why I'm paying all of my voluntaries as late as possible before the price increases.  This will give a nasty bill in the final year but better than croaking having paid it too early... 

SwiftSuzie

pinnks said:

The older you get the more you think about that one - it's why I'm paying all of my voluntaries as late as possible before the price increases.  This will give a nasty bill in the final year but better than croaking having paid it too early... 

On the other hand, if you do, at least you won't be worrying about it.......

pinnks

Never a truer word was spoken...

Lion0910

pinnks said:

It looks from what you have posted as though you probably have 11 full years but seeing your NI record would confirm that.  You can now get access to the government gateway ID as a non-resident using the GOV.UK ID Check App.

Assuming you have 11 full NI years up to 5 April 2016, then if you buy only 2016/17 onwards the max you can get is just under £185 per week.  If you purchase some pre-2016/17 years you can achieve £203.85. 

The cheapest option to get the max would seem to be to purchase 6 pre-2016/17 years to get you to £93.74, and then 19 years 2016/17 onwards to get to £203.85.  The slightly more expensive route, but one that gives a couple of years "protection" against wasting your money in the event of meeting an early demise, would be to buy only 4 pre-2016/17 years but then all 21 remaining 2016/17 and later years.

I am sure someone will correct me if I have messed up the maths here.., 

Thanks for taking the time to comment.  Unfortunately HMRC have confirmed I cannot access the government gateway as they don’t have enough information to verify my identity.  I have written to them with the relevant information so just waiting now for them to update so I can then hopefully gain access.

I appreciate your suggestion of protecting against wasting my money in case of an early demise.  I had not considered this but I certainly am now. Thanks

Earls_waistcoat

NI record
39 years full contributions
1 year to contribute before 05/04/2023 
10 years did not contribute enough.

COPE - £113.23

Pension current forecast
£167.03 a week
£726.28 a month
£8715.39 a year

Projected pension after top up £201.98

Shortfall voluntary contributions required
2012/2013 - £554.75 (contribution previously made £10.56)
2013/2014 - £824.20
2014/2015 - £824.20
2015/2016 - £824.20
2016/2017 - £824.20
2017/2018 - £824.20
2018/2019 - £824.20
2019/2020 - £824.20
2020/2021 - £795.60
2021/2022 - £800.80
2022/2023 - record not available yet

FYI the Pension Forecast service and online pages are currently offline for “ a once in a generation update” said the pleasant chap who answered me after 20 minutes in their queue and will not be back up or available until Monday 26 June 2023.

I have read previous comments and in the absence of official advice am I correct in thinking that I only need to make voluntary contributions from 2016/2017 through to the current year to get my maximum pension. Voluntary contributions from 2012/2016 would not add anything to my pension…..is that correct?

I can claim my pension from April 2024.

molerat

What is your amount at April 2022 - £161.21?

You need to buy the 7 available 2016-17 onwards years each adding £5.82 (22/23 is £824.20) taking you to your personal maximum £201.98, £1.87 short of the full pension. 

You are correct in that those years 2015-16 and earlier will not add to the pension.

Earls_waistcoat

molerat said:

What is your amount at April 2022 - £161.21?

Yes, that is correct amount. Thank you for your response.

rhammett

I've just learned of this brilliant forum, and I wonder if many other people are experiencing the frustration that I am. I learned of the opportunity to top up my pension last year and so I completed the form CF83 in July 2022, seeking to pay voluntary class 2 contributions as I have lived and worked overseas since 1993 and been self employed in Spain for the last 8 years. In November, I finally got a reply asking for more information that I had inadvertently left off the form, and in December 22 my application popped up on the online system as in process. After several very frustrating phone calls I learned that there was a 24 week processing period, but that they had all the information they required to make a decision. I was assured however that because I was on the system I would not be penalised if the deadline was passed when I finally got my letter.
I turned 66 this month, still awaiting a reply (26 weeks later) and I am now concerned that because I have passed the retirement age I will be disqualified from paying class 2 voluntary and will have to pay full contributions, which amounts to quite a hefty sum (over £8000) to top up my pension. It's like I have been willing and able to pay the contributions for the past year, but HMRC doesn't make it possible to just pay pending the outcome.
A very helpful lady in the Pension Service (that I finally got through to after 2 hours in the queue) even told me the years I could pay to get a full pension, so why don't they just let me send them the money?