Is it worth buying preemptively?

vdlc1978

Huge apologies if this has already been clarified but I have been reading for days and I still am not clear on my situation.
I am not a UK national but lived here first in 1999, when I worked and got my NIN. I went back home but I came back in 2009 and have remained since, with indefinite leave to remain status.
I have been working full time since 2009 so those years are full since then, however:
because I had my NIN from my previous stay, I would be able to plug in 2006 to 2009, as in four more years.
I was born in 1978, so my retirement age will fall according to forecasts in 2046.
Because this is so tight, and bearing in mind that I might have to be off work in the coming years to go back to take care of elderly relatives or take early retirement with my work pension, would it be wise to pay those 4 years just in case:
- age pension goes even further up
- I need to miss work years
- I want to go back home before I am 68
I don't want to be banging my head against the wall in 2046 for not paying £3,400 now, but this is also not a sum I have readily available to dispose of as it is and I would probably need to borrow it.
Thank you so much in advance

molerat

Post up a few details from your forecast.  It could be that you are eligible for class 2 whilst you were back home if working.

Current weekly £££.pp amount up to April 2024.
Number of full NI years 15-16 and earlier
Number of full NI years 16-17 and later
Tax year you reach state retirement
Any COPE amount.  If you have "You've been in a contracted-out pension scheme" on your forecast then click
here https://www.tax.service.gov.uk/check-your-state-pension/account/cope whilst logged into your tax account
Years which show not full and prices

vdlc1978

Hello, thanks for this.
Current weekly £££.pp amount up to April 2024 -> £101.28 per week so far
Number of full NI years 15-16 and earlier -> seven
Number of full NI years 16-17 and later -> seven
Tax year you reach state retirement -> Sept 2046
No COPE at all.

molerat

You have 22 years left to get the required 19 so I see little point in paying full price years but that is your choice.  But if you were working back home for those years you could be eligible to pay them at class 2 rate which is around £180 per year, that would put a whole different view on the matter.  If you go back home before you reach retirement and continue working you may also be able to pay class 2 then which reinforces my opinion of not paying those 4 years at class 3.  You would need to get a CF83 in sharpish to beat the cut off Social Security abroad: NI38 - GOV.UK

vdlc1978

Can I please ask you to expand on the CF83? I am trying to read the documentation but it is all a bit opaque to me. Thank you so much for your time.

molerat

It is the form for applying for paying NI when working overseas, the form is in the link, fairly straightforward to fill in and can be submitted on line. Once submitted that 5 April clock is stopped and you will get a reply as to if class 2 or 3 is applicable for those years.

jem16

vdlc1978 said:

Can I please ask you to expand on the CF83? I am trying to read the documentation but it is all a bit opaque to me. Thank you so much for your time.

When you first lived in the UK in 1999, when did you go back home?

vdlc1978

In 2000, I was only here for a year, and had a few jobs. Went back home, came back in 2009. Thank you.

jem16

vdlc1978 said:

In 2000, I was only here for a year, and had a few jobs. Went back home, came back in 2009. Thank you.

Unfortunately only being resident in the UK/or paying NI for just one year will prevent you from paying Class 2 unless you were employed in an EU country before 1999?