Future Pension Centre Disconnects

OxygenTide

Off the back of listening to the many programmes on this topic, I checked and I do have gaps in my NI records between 6 April 2006 and 5 April 2018. When I go to the online service and put my information in, I get the below message. I’m pretty sure it’s because I’ve said I’ve lived and worked abroad. However every time I call that number and select to talk about my pension, it says they have a high number of callers then just disconnects. I’ve tried in the morning and the afternoon. Am I doing something wrong? Will I ever get threw before the deadline? Is there any other way to get through?

“You cannot pay for gaps in your National Insurance record online.

Contact the Future Pension Centre to find out if you can pay gaps in your National Insurance record.

How to contact the Future Pension Centre

Speak to an agent at the Future Pension Centre. They can give you more information about your State Pension and filling gaps in your National Insurance record.

Telephone

Telephone: 0800 731 0175”

QrizB

It's often suggested that you should call at 0800, when they open. Have you tried that?

molerat

Unfortunately that is the state of the system at the moment, your only option is to keep on trying - start dialling at just before opening time. Have you tried contacting your MP ?

Are those years when you were working overseas so you are hoping to pay class 2 ?

Do you know how those years will affect your pension or are you completely in the dark ?

Marcon

OxygenTide said:

Off the back of listening to the many programmes on this topic, I checked and I do have gaps in my NI records between 6 April 2006 and 5 April 2018. When I go to the online service and put my information in, I get the below message. I’m pretty sure it’s because I’ve said I’ve lived and worked abroad. However every time I call that number and select to talk about my pension, it says they have a high number of callers then just disconnects. I’ve tried in the morning and the afternoon. Am I doing something wrong? Will I ever get threw before the deadline? Is there any other way to get through?

“You cannot pay for gaps in your National Insurance record online.

Contact the Future Pension Centre to find out if you can pay gaps in your National Insurance record.

How to contact the Future Pension Centre

Speak to an agent at the Future Pension Centre. They can give you more information about your State Pension and filling gaps in your National Insurance record.

Telephone

Telephone: 0800 731 0175”

Failing all else:

You can also write to:

Freepost DWP Pensions Service 3

Do not write anything except the freepost address on the envelope. You do not need a postcode or a stamp.

DRS1

You may want to read some threads on the Sub-forum eg this one

National Insurance back payment for someone abroad — MoneySavingExpert Forum

Maybe you can try finding the form CF83 and try sending that in?

Voyager2002

I have a similar issue...

I did manage to speak with them, and they said that they cannot respond over the telephone and would write to me. I was promised a letter within five working days, just before Christmas.

I am still waiting. Oh: my MP promised to raise it with them but I have not heard anything more...

And some people say there are too many civil servants!

Nebulous2

I know someone living abroad who has been trying to pay additional years since mid-2023. He sent them a letter in December and the online portal says they expect to respond in ten months...... 

OxygenTide

Thank you all! I tried QrizB's suggestion and called at 8:00 on Monday morning and got straight through to someone. Whole process took less than 20 minutes. They confirmed that as I had less than 10 years, there's a trigger in the system which makes the system say you have to call so they can explain the implications. I had thought it was because I had lived and worked abroad.

Hulk2_0

OxygenTide said:

Thank you all! I tried QrizB's suggestion and called at 8:00 on Monday morning and got straight through to someone. Whole process took less than 20 minutes. They confirmed that as I had less than 10 years, there's a trigger in the system which makes the system say you have to call so they can explain the implications. I had thought it was because I had lived and worked abroad.

Thanks for raising this, sounds like I have the same issue on less than 10 years. Can you direct to a source of what the implications are if you know of one, and let me know what they said in terms of the route to making the payment? Thank you.

molerat

Hulk2_0 said:

OxygenTide said:

Thank you all! I tried QrizB's suggestion and called at 8:00 on Monday morning and got straight through to someone. Whole process took less than 20 minutes. They confirmed that as I had less than 10 years, there's a trigger in the system which makes the system say you have to call so they can explain the implications. I had thought it was because I had lived and worked abroad.

Thanks for raising this, sounds like I have the same issue on less than 10 years. Can you direct to a source of what the implications are if you know of one, and let me know what they said in terms of the route to making the payment? Thank you.

What are you trying to achieve, many of the answers can be had here so you can go pre-informed when you do contact them rather than having to ask questions.

PGammage

On the Future Pensions Center call line (08007310175) they mention "Filling in a form on gov.uk and expressing your wish to pay gaps and this will be honoured even if the deadline passes" 

Has anyone any idea of where to find this form. I've searched the entirety of gov.uk till I'm blue in the face and can't find it