problems getting through on the phone to top up pensions

siggyyyy

İ Have been on the goverment gateway and got a pension statement and  i have also got a pension statement through the post. However i cannot get through to the phone number to arrange or discuss anything regarding ig its benificial or not to top up. Also there is a figure for of £13.75  per week as  a cope estimate.  do i have to pay that now up to my pention age? my online one is newer and say around £17.  i really need to speak to someone but tried for weeks and hours now and caint get through. İ could writ but much rather speak to someone. 

molerat

Post up the details from your forecast.  You seem a bit confused about what you are seeing so hopefully someone here will point you in the right direction.

Current weekly £££.pp amount accrued up to April 2022 (or 2023 as some have been updated)
Number of pre 2016 NI years full
Number of post 2016 NI years full
Tax year you reach state retirement
Any COPE amount shown, in a click link in "You've been in a contracted-out pension scheme" if there is one.
Years which show not full and prices

Audaxer

You don't need to do anything about the cope figure. If you post details of the other figures on your State Pension forecast, and how many years NI you have paid and what gaps you have, experts on this forum should be able to tell you whether it is beneficial to top-up.

siggyyyy

molerat said:

Post up the details from your forecast.  You seem a bit confused about what you are seeing so hopefully someone here will point you in the right direction.

Current weekly £££.pp amount accrued up to April 2022 (or 2023 as some have been updated)
Number of pre 2016 NI years full
Number of post 2016 NI years full
Tax year you reach state retirement
Any COPE amount shown, in a click link in "You've been in a contracted-out pension scheme" if there is one.
Years which show not full and prices

pension end of 2028
Estimate up to April 2022 £162.54. İf İ pay contributions to up to December 2028 the estimate is £197.49  ( i am not sure how much contributions are being unemployed and not claiming benefit)

COPE estimate 13.75 a week.

This info was in my first letter by forecast.

Online slightly different figures but also showed what the max could be at just over £200 a week 

İ have paid in 31 years but says the max is 6 years more . However the max only seems to be a few quid more if i just pay normal contributions. so am i right in thinking not worth paying any gaps as there are about 6 years gaps around £800 pound a year. 

İf i decide to pay i do not know how to set up the payments as caint  get through to anyone. 


Hope that helps. thankyou for the replies 

molerat

You need 8 more years of contributions to reach the maximum £203.85.  7 will take you to £203.31 and the final 8th adding only 54p so not worth buying.

Online slightly different figures but also showed what the max could be at just over £200 a week

What do you mean by that ?  Both should be the same unless the paper one was pre April benefits increase.  The on line one should be the definitive statement of your record.

You can either pay back years or pay going forward, your NI record will show the cost of past years - 20-21 and 21-22 currently being the cheapest.  All you need to know about paying is here https://www.gov.uk/pay-voluntary-class-3-national-insurance

siggyyyy

Thanks Molerat. ill try to make myself clearer. ill go onlne tomorrow and write it all down. Then put another post. 

bigfer

Maybe I was lucky, but I rang bang on 8am and got through about 40 mins later. Confirmed which year to buy, then phone call to HMRC to get account and reference number and paid by BACS. Additional year paid shows up on Gateway within a week.
Alternatively you could learn Welsh and get sorted with 5 rings..... that service is a good use of tax payers money.