Topping up for time in spent abroad

micklesthwaite

Hi all,

I’ve checked my NI record and find that I am missing 10 years of contributions from the years I lived full time in Spain. I returned to the UK in 2016 and worked here and payed NI since middle of 2017. I would like to top up to get the full state pension which will be possible as long as I keep paying until retirement age according to my online record.

I see the deadline to top up is 05 April and I need to fill in CF83 but I have a few questions as my work history in Spain was, shall we say, chequered. (I’m happy just to pay class 3 for the whole time, I’m not looking to save by asking for class 2, I just want to get it paid and forget about it tbh)

1.       Can fill in and submit the form online? If so does that count as making the deadline as long as I push the submit button before 05 April, even though the government may not reply until after the deadline?

2.       My work in Spain was for a few months at a time, registered as self-employed and sometimes employed directly part time. Do I need to make separate claims for all these times individually?

3.       I have some proof of self-employment status and some of employed status but probably not all periods. If I’m not looking to get cheap payments (class 2 ) can I just apply to pay class 3 and not have get all the info. I’d like to do it with the least faff.

 

Thanks for any help.

Brie

have your checked your pension forecast to see what you might update???

Did you work enough in Spain and pay whatever to their SP scheme to get any credits there??

Can you use the reciprocate schemes to use those credits here???

maybe check with the international uk scheme office????

International Pension Centre - GOV.UK

micklesthwaite

Hi Brie

Thanks for replying.

Yes, I have 11 years with gaps and need to buy 7.5 of those to get full pension in ten years time.

Having read some other posts I belive the answer to question 1 is that the form CF83 can be submitted online. Still not sure if submitting it before April 5th means I've beaten the deadline though, or if it needs to be paid by then. I can't find anything definitive.

I haven't been able to get through to international pension centre.

molerat

The CF83 has to be submitted prior to 5 April.

micklesthwaite

molerat said:

The CF83 has to be submitted prior to 5 April.

Can it be submitted online?

jem16

micklesthwaite said:

molerat said:

The CF83 has to be submitted prior to 5 April.

Can it be submitted online?

Yes it can.

micklesthwaite

Thanks for your replies everyone.

I'll get on with it and report back about ease of process, especially for broken work history.