How to pay extra NI years

stuartmc_2

I have been trying to find a way to pay missing NI contributions. The Government website is great at telling you that you are missing years but no way to actually pay it. Have spoken to Work and Pensions and they weren't very helpful. They suggested they couldn't help over the phone but would send a letter, well that was over 3 months ago. I suspect I need to speak to HMRC but can't find a contact number to deal with extra payments. To add further complication I am now past retirement age although not drawing my state pension yet as I have a private pension and work part time. I want to pay the 3 missing years before I draw anything. Has anybody done this and how did they manage to do it?

NoMore

Contact the Future Pension Centre - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Not enough detail in your post, but be aware that paying missing NI contributions does not necessarily lead to an increase in State Pension.

stuartmc_2

The Future Pension Centre couldn't help. I contacted them and they just weren't able to talk about it over the phone either. I am trying to pay full years not just missing months.

xylophone

When did you reach state pension age?

Had you obtained a state pension forecast?

If so, what exactly did it say?

[Deleted User]

I have 2 missing years that I've been thinking about paying too but when I was researching how to pay I couldn't find out either. I have until April 2023 to pay them.

You'd think they would just put a 'pay now' payment link next to the missing years within your online tax account but no nothing is easy.

p00hsticks

Assuming you are talking about Class 3, The details on how to make voluntary payments are here;

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

If you don't want to phone up HMRC to get a reference number to make an online bank transfer and you're confident that the mising years will increase your Pension, then the other option is to send then a cheque along with a note with your details (including NI number) how much you are paying and for what years .

stuartmc_2

I have been waiting 3 months for an updated pension forecast, I was told it could take 6-8 weeks but am still waiting. The last one I got before I passed retirement age said that I had 34 years of full contributions but needed to pay another 3 years to get the full state pension.

MallyGirl

stuartmc_2 said:

I have been waiting 3 months for an updated pension forecast, I was told it could take 6-8 weeks but am still waiting. The last one I got before I passed retirement age said that I had 34 years of full contributions but needed to pay another 3 years to get the full state pension.

That is perfectly possible. Some on here have had 40+ years and still had to top up due to being contracted out.

The important thing to understand is which years are missing so that it can be confirmed that paying them will add to the pension. Filling some gaps doesn't increase pension - the devil is in the details

xylophone

The last one I got before I passed retirement age said that I had 34 years of full contributions but needed to pay another 3 years to get the full state pension.

When was this and what exactly did it say?

What is shown on your NI record regarding  full years/part years?

stuartmc_2

Sorry for delay. To cut a long story short my wife died from Cancer and I gave up work to look after my daughter so stopped paying NI at that time. My NI record shows 34 years of full contributions and 15 years where I didn't contribute enough, I was contracted out. I have managed to get an Indigit Ref no at last to pay the 3 years outstanding but am now concerned from what everyone has said that this may not take me up to the required minimum for a full state pension. I have tried contacting the Future Pension Centre again but after 40 mins of waiting they weren't much help.

molerat

If you post up your full SP details - there will be up to 3 different amounts quoted - including  pre & post 2016 years, missing years & COPE someone will give you a pretty accurate view of what you need to do in around 2 minutes.  The way it is worked out is not a state secret and once you have an understanding of the system it is actually pretty straightforward.