Buying years for state pension

happywoofie

Hi, my husband viewed his pension forecast a couple of weeks ago. He had four years not full from 2019 to 2023. To obtain a full pension of £221.20 he would need to pay for those four years. Having got together the money to buy his shortfall we went on line again last week. His forecast now says that he needs to pay for five years to obtain a full state pension of £221.20. This includes the year 2023 to 2024 at a cost of £907.40. Has this happened to anyone else? Can anyone shed any light on if we can contest this? We have tried ringing the helpline but are unable to get through. Thanks in advance.

molerat

I don't think anything like that has come up on here.  How long ago did he actually check it as they did do an update that caused confusion so went back to the old view. You are only likely to get through to someone by calling dead on opening time otherwise you need to request a call back. Request a call back to pay voluntary National Insurance contributions - GOV.UK  

Post up the anonymous detail from his forecast and someone will sense check it.

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

Dazed_and_C0nfused

happywoofie said:

Hi, my husband viewed his pension forecast a couple of weeks ago. He had four years not full from 2019 to 2023. To obtain a full pension of £221.20 he would need to pay for those four years. Having got together the money to buy his shortfall we went on line again last week. His forecast now says that he needs to pay for five years to obtain a full state pension of £221.20. This includes the year 2023 to 2024 at a cost of £907.40. Has this happened to anyone else? Can anyone shed any light on if we can contest this? We have tried ringing the helpline but are unable to get through. Thanks in advance.

Do you really mean he needs to buy 5 years?

Or are there 5 years available to buy, which is a different thing altogether.

happywoofie

Thank for the responses. From the forecast two weeks ago- the forth option was tax year gap 2919 to 2020 £364.55 buys £12.64pp, 2020 to 2023 £2420.60 (3 years full contribution) buys £18.10pp.  At the moment he is due to receive £190.46. Those four years - payment of £2785.15 would take him up to a full pension of £221.20.
The forecast now says 2019 to 2020 £364.55 would increase pension to £196.78, 2020 to 2021 £795.60 takes it to £203.10, 2021 to 2022 £800.80 buys £209.42, 2022 to 2023 £824.20 buys £215.74, 2023 to 2924 £906.40 buys £221.20. This is a total of £3692.55, an extra year to purchase his full pension.
 I wasn’t expecting the prices to change until after the 5th April. I cannot comprehend why he is expected to pay five years instead of four for a full pension?

Sarahspangles

Did the earlier forecast assume that he would contribute another year of NI by working in 2023/24?  That year was only made available for my OH to purchase around December time. 

happywoofie

In response to Sarahspangles - no in the original quote a forth year payment (2022 to 2023) would buy him a full pension of £221.20. 

In the new quote the amounts due per year from 2019 to 2023 remain the same as the original quote but buy less in terms of what he can receive in weekly state pension payments.

molerat

If his current amount is £190.46 then he needs 5 years to reach the max, no arguments about that, £221.20 - £190.46 = £30.74 / £6.32 = (4.86) 5.

the forth option was tax year gap 2919 to 2020 £364.55 buys £12.64pp

There is the problem, one year cannot add £12.64.  It is the glitch, I believe based on the answer to the opening questions, that assumed the current year would be paid.  The new quotation is correct with each year adding £6.32 and the final fifth adding £5.46

happywoofie

From the above his pension increased from £190.46 to £203.10. This was option one - a payment of £364.55 for year 2019 to 2020. 

On the new quote option one (2019 to 2020 £364.55) so the same year and the same amount raises his pension to £196 78. 

I have print outs for both quotes. If there is a “glitch” on the system surely they should honour the original quote?

molerat

I have print outs for both quotes. If there is a “glitch” on the system surely they should honour the original quote?

No, it is an error and they are entitled to correct it.

Sarahspangles

happywoofie said:

From the above his pension increased from £190.46 to £203.10. This was option one - a payment of £364.55 for year 2019 to 2020. 

On the new quote option one (2019 to 2020 £364.55) so the same year and the same amount raises his pension to £196 78. 

I have print outs for both quotes. If there is a “glitch” on the system surely they should honour the original quote?

At the top of your screen shot the notes say “….record up to 5 April 2023. ….increase to your State Pension forecast is based on you continuing to contribute National Insurance until October 2024.”

This is normal when someone not yet at state pension age gets a forecast. There is an assumption that they are currently contributing. As those contributions up to October 2024 didn’t happen, they are now confirming he also needs to contribute that year.

The £12.64 you assumed was from one year was from two, including April to October 2024.

happywoofie

Thanks so much for everyone’s input and help. Sarahspangles- does that mean he can pay a part year for his final year? From April 24 to October 24?