National Insurance Contribution top up query

molerat

Northwind36 said:

I want to pay for my wife to make up for two years' NIC. I have used the Govt. website and I know how much to pay but it will not let me pay on line. I cannot talk to the Future Pension Centre or anyone else. Can I make a Bank Transfer?

Not without a payment reference.  You need to either try the FPC first thing in the morning as soon as they are open - some people have reported successful contact - or book a call back.  The other option is to send a cheque in the post but that could take up to a year before it was looked at, some depts are reporting dealing with mail from April 2024. Are you certain those 2 years will add to her pension ?

wiseonesomeofthetime

Like many (possibly) I was contracted-out for a period in my employment lifetime and so now have a shortfall of four years in my NI record.

I checked in March how much it would cost me to purchase 1-4 years to fill the gap and screenshot the results, with the intention of purchasing a couple of years when my regular saver matures next month (May 2025).

The figure I was quoted was £1,596 and it said that option 2 was available until April 2027. Great, or so I thought.

Logged in today to double-check whether I could purchase using a credit card, only to find that, although "Option 2" is still available until April 2027, the cost has risen by £234 to £1,830.
Whilst the forecast weekly pension has also increased by £8pw, it just goes to show that (somehow) I should have paid before the new tax year.

Just for the information of anyone else considering this really.