Unable to top up partial years pre-2016

System

This discussion was created from comments split from: State pension offset.

Boots60

My husband phoned the state pension forecast as he had 3 years short of full pension although he had worked for 41 years. Pre 2016 he had a couple of part years. He was told that he could only top up years as far back to 2016 and therefore couldn’t top up the partial years pre 2016. He worked for public sector and for some years they had opted out. The pension forecast  line stated because of this he could only go back to 2016. He phoned again as I questioned that advice. He was told the same information by another advisor. He is 2 years of retirement. He has now paid two full years to top up his pension. But it would have been much cheaper had been able to top up those partial years prior to 2016

molerat

He could pay those years but they would not add to his pension.  That is because of his contracting out meaning his starting amount was under the old rules where you can only use a maximum of 30 pre 2016 years basic pension.  If the state pension had not changed he would not have been able to add to that original figure at all so is a winner under the new rules even though it will cost more than you wanted it to.

QrizB

Boots60 said:

My husband phoned the state pension forecast as he had 3 years short of full pension although he had worked for 41 years. Pre 2016 he had a couple of part years. He was told that he could only top up years as far back to 2016 and therefore couldn’t top up the partial years pre 2016. He worked for public sector and for some years they had opted out. The pension forecast  line stated because of this he could only go back to 2016. He phoned again as I questioned that advice. He was told the same information by another advisor. He is 2 years of retirement. He has now paid two full years to top up his pension. But it would have been much cheaper had been able to top up those partial years prior to 2016

Welcome to the forum.

With 41 years of employment and 39(?) full years, he almost certainly had well over 30 full years prior to 2016. Filling more pre-2016 years would not increase his pension, only post-2016 years would help.

Boots60

Thanks for the explanation. That’s the same as they advised. I just didn’t think that was correct. His final year, currently working will pay for that third year. It was still worth doing as it will break even 3 years into state pension age. Grateful for the Martin Lewis shows and this new app and forum.