18 digit reference number for voluntary contribution

TadleyBaggie

The FPC is only if you have not yet started receiving your state pension, if you have then the DWP needs to be called.

Suicided

Dazed_and_C0nfused said:

Suicided said:

I would appreciate it if I could get the reference as well,  I've called 65 times so far since start of month and have never got through.  Absolute appaling 'service'.

But you don't actually need it.

Is there any reason you have left it so late given the window to buy a lot of the currently available years has been open for many many years?

I'm a couple of years away from state pension and I gave up work eight years ago.  My  IFA said I should pay the three years to make it 40 so thats why I'm trying to if HMRC ever pick up the phone.  I'll try 0300 200 3500 as the way I read it I need the 18 digit reference and that is asked for when I tried to pay online.  I don't think I have a cheque book.....

MACKEM99

I called the 0300 number yesterday for myself at 1120. It said wait was around 40 minutes so I did other things whilst waiting.  They answered after around 60.  The guy could not have been more helpful.  Im in the process of a letter plus chq, he told me what I needed to put in letter and address to send to.  Also who to make chq out to and to put NI number on back.  He said I don't get a ref no for this method but to mention his name. Which years amount for each year and total.  Seems straight forward so far.  Sorting wife's account later today.  He would have done hers after mind but she was not in.  

P.S.

He also said he would put a note on my file to indicate which years I was buying.

p00hsticks

Suicided said:

Dazed_and_C0nfused said:

Suicided said:

I would appreciate it if I could get the reference as well,  I've called 65 times so far since start of month and have never got through.  Absolute appaling 'service'.

But you don't actually need it.

Is there any reason you have left it so late given the window to buy a lot of the currently available years has been open for many many years?

I'm a couple of years away from state pension and I gave up work eight years ago.  My  IFA said I should pay the three years to make it 40 so thats why I'm trying to if HMRC ever pick up the phone.  I'll try 0300 200 3500 as the way I read it I need the 18 digit reference and that is asked for when I tried to pay online.  I don't think I have a cheque book.....

As you say you only need three more years to take you to the maximum (they'll all need to be post-2016), you have recent gaps and you are still a while off State Pension Age, then you don't actually need to be struggling on the phone lines to beat the July deadline (although it may be slightly cheaper if you pay before then). 

You can wait until the current deadline to pay for earlier years (2006-7 to 2016-17)  expires and then call after July - in all probability you'll get straight through then.  

The cost of 2021-22 and 2022-23 will be the same as they are now, but any earlier ones will be around £80-£100 more expensive.  

Suicided

Hi...thanks for your answer.  I got through to the 0300 number eventually and got the magic 18 digit reference.  Tried to pay the account and the account name is not on the list for First Direct to pay the money to.  Account name they gave me is HMRC NIC RECEIPTS and that account is not listed.  There are a few accounts with same sort code and account number so messaged the bank and they said that the accounts listed were the only options and I can't just pay that account name.

I have given up the will to live.  Can someone confirm what is the correct account to pay to.  I've run out of money on my phone......

I've picked 2009/10, 2020/21 and 2021/22 as they are the lowest.....

Aristotle67

I can confirm that HMRC_NIC_RECEIPTS is the correct account name in which to pay the voluntary contributions - it was the one I was given and my payment has been applied correctly - but please note there are underscores in that account name.

If you were paying contributions for the current year you would use a different account name. 

p00hsticks

Suicided said:

I've picked 2009/10, 2020/21 and 2021/22 as they are the lowest.....

I'm not sure if you've posted up your full forecast before, but as a general rule I'd be very wary of paying for that 2009/10 year as it may not increase your forecast - if you already had 35 full years prior to April 2016 it definitely won't. 

Editted to add - this is why people are told to ring the Future Pension Centre (or DWP if already over State Pension Age) for advice as to which years to buy first.

HMRC can only take the payments, they don't see the details of your pension forecast to know if the payments you make are actually going to be beneficial or not. 

Suicided

Thank you.  I rang my bank and First Direct the account is called HMRC NIC DEFICENCY PAYMENT and is the account that uses the 18 digit ref starting 6099.

Heres hoping this goes OK otherwise I won't need to make any payment as I won't live to see pension age.