State pension Top Up - Class 3A NI contributions - anyone claimed these with their State Pension?

jay852
jay852 Posts: 10 Forumite
Second Anniversary First Post
edited 13 June 2023 at 2:49PM in Topping up your state pension
Allegedly worth £25 per week when purchased in 2015. It should be possible to claim them when claiming your State Pension.
Has anyone actually done this? No-one at DWP seem to know anything about them. I would be grateful if someone who has successfully claimed could suggest a department who may be able to deal with these claims, or even a phone number other that the normal 'black hole' ...
Thanks!
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Comments

  • molerat
    molerat Posts: 34,225 Forumite
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    edited 6 June 2023 at 4:30PM
    Class 3A contributions were only applicable to those reaching retirement prior to April 2016 and the additional amount should automatically be paid.  They were only available to pay up until April 2017. What do you mean by "claim them"

  • jay852
    jay852 Posts: 10 Forumite
    Second Anniversary First Post
    Thanks for your reply. What I mean is -  when you reach the time you want to retire the terminology is to "claim" your State Pension. In my relative's case, the Basic State pension has been worked out and is being paid, but the sum "awarded" does not include the Top-Up, either listed separately or within the Basic figure. Enquiries to the DWP are met with a mixture of puzzlement and disbelief on the phone, and letters have been ignored. I was just hoping someone else may have a suggestion of exactly where to try next.
  • xylophone
    xylophone Posts: 45,528 Forumite
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    https://www.cibservices.co.uk/resources/your-business/paye-nics-and-benefits/state-pension-top-up-class-3a-voluntary-national-insurance-contributions

    See above.

    Are you saying that your relative made lump sum contributions as indicated but the Additional Pension bought is not showing on their statement of benefits?
  • squirrelpie
    squirrelpie Posts: 1,291 Forumite
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    jay852 said:
    Thanks for your reply. What I mean is -  when you reach the time you want to retire the terminology is to "claim" your State Pension. In my relative's case, the Basic State pension has been worked out and is being paid, but the sum "awarded" does not include the Top-Up, either listed separately or within the Basic figure. Enquiries to the DWP are met with a mixture of puzzlement and disbelief on the phone, and letters have been ignored. I was just hoping someone else may have a suggestion of exactly where to try next.
    Do you mean that your relative was entitled to claim their pension before 6 April 2016 but did not do so then and has now done so? And that in the period before 6 April 2017 they bought some class 3A contributions? But the pension has not been increased to account for those, although it has been increased to account for the delay in claiming?
    If so, then I suspect posting some numbers so people here can check them would be a start, as would posting details of what evidence there is that these contributions were bought (either on paper or in the online account).
  • jay852
    jay852 Posts: 10 Forumite
    Second Anniversary First Post
    edited 7 June 2023 at 1:06PM
    Thanks everyone for your replies.

    Are you saying that your relative made lump sum contributions as indicated but the Additional Pension bought is not showing on their statement of benefits?
    Yes

    Do you mean that your relative was entitled to claim their pension before 6 April 2016 but did not do so then and has now done so? And that in the period before 6 April 2017 they bought some class 3A contributions? But the pension has not been increased to account for those, although it has been increased to account for the delay in claiming?
    If so, then I suspect posting some numbers so people here can check them would be a start, as would posting details of what evidence there is that these contributions were bought (either on paper or in the online account).

    Yes.
    There is no problem with the Basic State Pension figure - 156.20 per week.  Deferment on this Basic figure calculated correctly. No sign of the TopUp. Expecting £25 (value in 2015) plus uprating (CPI?) to pension date, plus deferment on TopUp.)
    Bank Statement shows date paid and amount.

    Any suggestions for where to try next?


  • xylophone
    xylophone Posts: 45,528 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    When exactly did your relative reach SPA?

    Is the relative male or female?

    Are you saying that your relative's statement shows only Basic State Pension?

    There is nothing at all concerning Additional State Pension?

    No Graduated Pension?

    If so, this is indeed strange.
  • jay852
    jay852 Posts: 10 Forumite
    Second Anniversary First Post
    edited 7 June 2023 at 2:44PM
    Apologies for omitting the small amounts below - we didn't think they were material in the hunt for £25!
    Graduated Retirement Benefit £1.02
    Additional State Pension £3.28
    Thanks


  • molerat
    molerat Posts: 34,225 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    I suspect this is a question for the NI side of HMRC.  DWP can only deal with what HMRC tell them.  Contributions would have been made to HMRC.
    I believe this should show up on their annual advice as additional pension
    Are they certain they made class 3a contributions and not standard class 3 ?
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