Guide discussion: Voluntary national insurance contributions

molerat

As she already has in excess of 35 pre 2016 years then she cannot purchase any more, she must only purchase the available post 2016 years.  Those 5 years, 2016-17 to 2020-21 will add £31.60 per week (£1634 pa, £137 pm) and take 130 weeks, 2.5 years, to recoup gross or 162 weeks, 3y 1m,  after 20% tax.  That is not taking the annual pension increases into consideration.

pritchah

molerat said:

As she already has in excess of 35 pre 2016 years then she cannot purchase any more, she must only purchase the available post 2016 years.  Those 5 years, 2016-17 to 2020-21 will add £31.60 per week (£1634 pa, £137 pm) and take 130 weeks, 2.5 years, to recoup gross or 162 weeks, 3y 1m,  after 20% tax.  That is not taking the annual pension increases into consideration.

Sounds good - many thanks! Generally, is it better to phooe or write to DWP about this?

molerat

pritchah said:

molerat said:

As she already has in excess of 35 pre 2016 years then she cannot purchase any more, she must only purchase the available post 2016 years.  Those 5 years, 2016-17 to 2020-21 will add £31.60 per week (£1634 pa, £137 pm) and take 130 weeks, 2.5 years, to recoup gross or 162 weeks, 3y 1m,  after 20% tax.  That is not taking the annual pension increases into consideration.

Sounds good - many thanks! Generally, is it better to phooe or write to DWP about this?

A letter may take up to 6 months for them to look at it so phone is the only option.  The big problem is that their reply to your query will be in writing which can take several months.

pritchah

molerat said:

pritchah said:

molerat said:

As she already has in excess of 35 pre 2016 years then she cannot purchase any more, she must only purchase the available post 2016 years.  Those 5 years, 2016-17 to 2020-21 will add £31.60 per week (£1634 pa, £137 pm) and take 130 weeks, 2.5 years, to recoup gross or 162 weeks, 3y 1m,  after 20% tax.  That is not taking the annual pension increases into consideration.

Sounds good - many thanks! Generally, is it better to phooe or write to DWP about this?

A letter may take up to 6 months for them to look at it so phone is the only option.  The big problem is that their reply to your query will be in writing which can take several months.

I phoned on my own behalf seconds past 8 yesterday morning and got through very quickly. I was the first caller of the day! I had confirmation of my own current pension over the phone, and will get a quote fot topping up NI etc through the post, which will take up to 25 working days to arrive. We'll see about that but happy enough if they meet their promise

Of course, Mrs will have to call herself for her own quote, so I'll have to give her a nudge and hope DWP are on the ball again

pritchah

Can anyone suggest a better number for DWP (on this matter) than 0800 731 0469, or list the option biuttons I have to press

For this matter it just refers you back to the gov.uk guidance which, of course, I've already read. What I want (or in fact, what my wife wants) is a statement by letter

0469 also has the longest preamble and choice of options that I think I've ever heard. I must have struck lucky a few days ago, but unfortunately didn't make a note of the whole number, including option numbers

p00hsticks

pritchah said:

0469 also has the longest preamble and choice of options that I think I've ever heard. I must have struck lucky a few days ago, but unfortunately didn't make a note of the whole number, including option numbers

I'd nominate the Charity Commission for that one - not only massive long preambles about options, calls being recorded for monitoring and training purposes, referring you to their website for answers to many queries, giving you e-mail addresses (too quickly to write down), telling you to treat their staff with respect etc but then repeating each statement in Welsh! 

And unlike the DWP number, it's not a free number to call...  

(Must add that the staff are very helpful when you finally get to speak to them.....)

pritchah

p00hsticks said:

pritchah said:

0469 also has the longest preamble and choice of options that I think I've ever heard. I must have struck lucky a few days ago, but unfortunately didn't make a note of the whole number, including option numbers

I'd nominate the Charity Commission for that one - not only massive long preambles about options, calls being recorded for monitoring and training purposes, referring you to their website for answers to many queries, giving you e-mail addresses (too quickly to write down), telling you to treat their staff with respect etc but then repeating each statement in Welsh! 

And unlike the DWP number, it's not a free number to call...  

(Must add that the staff are very helpful when you finally get to speak to them.....)

As a Welsh-speaker I've found that choosing the Welsh-language option usually gets you through quicker wherever you call. Mind you, you don't always get a Welsh-speaker at the other end, which is another story

canary2211

Have I got this right?  I''m trying to fine tune SP and get the timing right and make value of some NI child care credits. 

Wife reaches 66 in September 2024.  Incomplete NI record - has topped up several years from 2016 - 2021, No NI contributions at all since 2012.  Projected pension is about £18 pw below max. 

The new online thing seems to assume full NI contribs in 22/23 and 23/24 - when we know none were paid. 

In 23/24  (started April 23 conveniently!) she did a fair bit of child care for grandchild so we can fill 23/24 with the NI credit claim thing. That won't be realistically processed until sometime in 25/26.

1. It seems to me there's a risk of topping up further because we can't work out the value that will bring until the system includes the Nil 22/23 and 23/24 contributions. We might pay too much.
2. I think that topping up/fine-tuning the voluntary NI should be backdated to when paid. 
3. Should be able to fine tune sometime in 25/26 once we know about childcare credit for 23/24 (and maybe 24/25)

So, the plan is keep monitoring but don't rush into a top up payment just yet. 

OR do we just go with the new app which says fill 21/22 and 22/23 total £1600 or so and secure uplift to close to max.  Which seems to waste the child care credit? 

Thank you!
Befuddled of Norfolk

molerat

The system should not be "assuming" anything about 22/23 as that year is now closed and reconciled so what is on the forecast should be fact.  What does it show for that year when you click on it ?

double_dutchy

canary2211 said:

.....OR do we just go with the new app.....

Which app is this?