Topping Up From Abroad

SunnyORNot

Hi,

I'm getting all turned around and I'm hoping someone can advise me, please.
Myself, my husband and I live abroad, now within the EU. 
I have 7 years NI paid and a few partial years paid.
My husband has 3 years paid and a few partial.
To bring both of us up to the 10yrs minimum will cost us about £4k. At the moment, we can do that.
We both still have 20+ working years ahead of us.
We were out of the UK for a few years each, then returned in 2016 and worked so we both have some contributions for the 2015-2016 year and the 2016-2017 year. Then we moved to the EU where we have both worked (scattered, some time in Portugal, Spain, France and Belgium so our EU combined isn't straightforward either).

Because their 'helpline' keeps hanging up on us, I have been online to fill in the Future Pensions 'Contact Us' form so that we can make the contributions at the stated cost - it does worry me that there is no confirmation number, no email to confirm receipt of the form: basically nothing for me to prove that we contacted them prior to the cut off date. Is this OK?

So, the foundation of my concerns and confusion: should we be paying the full cost of buying back the years? Or can we get the missing time at the lower Class 2 rate to fill partial years?
And, is buying back the best idea or making future Class 2 contributions until we have at least the 10 years? And why?

Thank you in advance for any and all advice.

pinnks

You must send a form CF83 to HMRC to apply to pay NI while abroad.  They will decide whether you qualify to pay at the Class 2 rate, or Class 3 and send you a schedule of years and costs.

So, go onto your Gateway ID and send the CF83 immediately to stop the 5 April clock and to keep years 2018/19 and earlier in date to pay.  This does not commit you to paying anything.  You can then relax back and work out what is best for you.

As you have worked in the EU, the 10-year requirement for a UK pension is basically irrelevant if you have enough UK years and periods in the EU to get you past the required 10 years.  You will then get a pension based on your UK years as if that 10-year requirement did not exist.

That said, paying voluntary NI to max out your UK pension is generally considered a good thing to do. 

SunnyORNot

pinnks said:

You must send a form CF83 to HMRC to apply to pay NI while abroad.  They will decide whether you qualify to pay at the Class 2 rate, or Class 3 and send you a schedule of years and costs.

So, go onto your Gateway ID and send the CF83 immediately to stop the 5 April clock and to keep years 2018/19 and earlier in date to pay.  This does not commit you to paying anything.  You can then relax back and work out what is best for you.

As you have worked in the EU, the 10-year requirement for a UK pension is basically irrelevant if you have enough UK years and periods in the EU to get you past the required 10 years.  You will then get a pension based on your UK years as if that 10-year requirement did not exist.

That said, paying voluntary NI to max out your UK pension is generally considered a good thing to do. 

Thank you so much for the reply.
So we should submit the CF83 form even though we've signed up for a call back? They won't cancel each other out?