National Insurance gaps - confusing advice from HMRC

byngga

My wife has checked her contributions record, called the Pension Forecast line and wants to make a payment to fill tax year 2015/2016 (as its only £253 short and she no longer works other than a casual seasonal job). 
Today she called HMRC to get the 18 digit number in order to make a one-off payment, however, they told her that because 2015/2016 was over 6 years ago she is not able to fill that gap.
Can anyone explain this? 

She is 53 and, as far as I'm aware, should be able to pay missing years as far back as 2006 until the deadline (just extended to Apr 2024).

Silvertabby

Are you sure that paying for for a pre 2016/17 year will actually add to your wife's pension?

How many years pre 2016 does she have.  And was she in a contracted out pension scheme. 

Audaxer

byngga said:

She is 53 and, as far as I'm aware, should be able to pay missing years as far back as 2006 until the deadline (just extended to Apr 2024).

The deadline has been extended to Apr 2025.

byngga

Audaxer said:

byngga said:

She is 53 and, as far as I'm aware, should be able to pay missing years as far back as 2006 until the deadline (just extended to Apr 2024).

The deadline has been extended to Apr 2025.

My mistake- thanks. Good to know we have a little longer to sort out.

byngga

Silvertabby said:

Are you sure that paying for for a pre 2016/17 year will actually add to your wife's pension?

How many years pre 2016 does she have.  And was she in a contracted out pension scheme. 

She's got 31 full years pre 2016. The forecast says she will need 4 more full years for full pension.
There are a couple of 'partially filled' years post 2016.

She's not been in a contracted out pension scheme.

Audaxer

byngga said:

Silvertabby said:

Are you sure that paying for for a pre 2016/17 year will actually add to your wife's pension?

How many years pre 2016 does she have.  And was she in a contracted out pension scheme. 

She's got 31 full years pre 2016. The forecast says she will need 4 more full years for full pension.
There are a couple of 'partially filled' years post 2016.

She's not been in a contracted out pension scheme.

Is she retired early and not likely to be working between now and her SP age?

molerat

More likely they will not let you pay that year without first taking advice from DWP.  HMRC know nothing about how a year affects your pension.

byngga

Audaxer said:

byngga said:

Silvertabby said:

Are you sure that paying for for a pre 2016/17 year will actually add to your wife's pension?

How many years pre 2016 does she have.  And was she in a contracted out pension scheme. 

She's got 31 full years pre 2016. The forecast says she will need 4 more full years for full pension.
There are a couple of 'partially filled' years post 2016.

She's not been in a contracted out pension scheme.

Is she retired early and not likely to be working between now and her SP age?

Yes. She is pretty much retired already. Not at all likely to be working between now and 67.

byngga

molerat said:

More likely they will not let you pay that year without first taking advice from DWP.  HMRC know nothing about how a year affects your pension.

She has already called the DWP and taken their advice and they told her to call HMRC to make the payment. 

My question is, why are HMRC telling her that she cannot make a voluntary payment for 2015/2016 ?

pinnks

I did encounter an HMRC person on their community forum who told someone the same thing and apologised when I corrected them but that was 6 months ago, so you would think that "glitch" would have been ironed out by now...

Maybe call again and question their reasoning if they refuse again.  Perhaps have the relevant web page open on screen when you call...

byngga

pinnks said:

I did encounter an HMRC person on their community forum who told someone the same thing and apologised when I corrected them but that was 6 months ago, so you would think that "glitch" would have been ironed out by now...

Maybe call again and question their reasoning if they refuse again.  Perhaps have the relevant web page open on screen when you call...

Thanks. You'd hope they'd be clued up about it - the main reason they're so busy is everyone calling to plug the pre-2016 gaps before the deadline. Surely that's what all the headlines are about! 

I started to doubt myself, then went back & re-read all the information about it. I can't believe their staff are that clueless!!!

I'll sit with my wife next time she calls and we'll argue it out between us.