Overseas NI years

TaxH8Ter

Hello.
I've been living and working in the UK since 2019, now a citizen and am trying to plan for my retirement years, well in advance. I should have another 20-25 years of my working life remaining.

I am considering moving back overseas for work for a few years and intend on returning to the UK in the future and for retirement.

1. If I move overseas this year, what do I need to do to ensure I will receive a full pension?
2. Is there a way I can top up NI years for the period preceeding my arrival in the UK in 2019?

Many thanks for your input.

molerat

2. is easy ....... No (but you may be able to fill the year you started working in the UK if that is only part filled)

1.  Social Security abroad: NI38 - GOV.UK

If working you can pay class 2 contributions at currently £180 per year.   You will need 35 years to get the full amount but will get X/35ths of currently £221.20 if you do not have the full quota.

Brie

You may find that there is a reciprocal agreement with wherever you lived prior to 2019 and any "NI" payments made there might count towards you state pension here.  Alternatively you could (like me) claim your "state pension" in the other country in addition to the SP here and that might make up the difference or even better.

Bostonerimus1

Brie said:

You may find that there is a reciprocal agreement with wherever you lived prior to 2019 and any "NI" payments made there might count towards you state pension here.  Alternatively you could (like me) claim your "state pension" in the other country in addition to the SP here and that might make up the difference or even better.

The reciprocal SSA is vital here. Under some agreements foreign social security type payments oly help you to qualify you for a UK benefit and do not count towards the calculation of the actual payment.

As Class 2 NI is so inexpensive it's a no brainer to pay it while working overseas. So read NI38 and apply.