Voluntary NI Contributions – What to Expect After Requesting a Callback

dreaming

molerat said:

dreaming said:

Seems DWP are getting on with things. After paying my addition NI contributions a couple of months ago I was expecting a longish wait (it was suggested it could be months) until they recalculated my pension but logging into my bank account today I sw an unexpected DWP payment, following my "normal" pension payment last week. I got through to someone on the phone within 5 minutes of holding and they confirmed that this is the arrears backdated to when I paid the addition monies, and also my new state pension amount going forward. Very nice indeed as my fridge/freezer is on the blink and I had just spent an hour looking for the best deal and this extra payment covers it. I haven't received anything through the post although mail deliveries round here seem to be on the blink as well.

Yes they do seem to be moving along now, a friend was in the same situation - retired in 2021, booked a call back just before the deadline and it was all done and dusted a couple of weeks ago

You were one of the people who helped me as I had gaps going back to 2013 (when I retired aged 58 after redundancy) and the advice I receievd was to only pay for 2016-2021 which was my officlal state pension age, so thank you very much,

pKaTz

I am still waiting for a call ..

I requested a call back on 27 March. 
I got a test - can't remember when] saying that I will get a call back from them. 
But I have never had the call. 

Where can I call for help?

molerat

FPC or TPS depending on being pre or post SPA. Call backs are still ongoing though. 

AKUK1

I would appreciate some guidance from anyone who has experienced something similar, as the whole system currently feels completely broken.

I registered before the 5 April 2025 deadline to pay voluntary National Insurance contributions to fill two missing years on my record. I had already successfully paid earlier years in 2023, so I understand the process, and I know the two specific years that remain incomplete.

For context, I was born in August 1958 and reached State Pension age in August 2024, so I am already receiving my State Pension.

After almost eleven months of silence, I received a text message on 26 January 2026 telling me I had to call the Future Pension Centre by 26 February 2026.

I rang as instructed. The adviser told me there was nothing on his system showing any years available to pay. He also kept pointing out that I had paid some years previously, which I confirmed I had done in 2023. However, he did not seem to understand that I still have two further years outstanding.

I explained several times that I had registered before the 5 April 2025 extended deadline and was waiting for confirmation of the payable years. He kept referring to the April deadline as if it related to the current tax year, which it does not. The conversation was frustrating and circular.

Eventually, he said my call would now be “registered as of today” and that HMRC would write to me within a couple of weeks confirming whether I have any years available to pay.

That raises a few concerns:

• I do not want today’s call to replace or override my original pre-April 2025 registration.
• I know two specific years are not full on my NI record.
• I am already over pension age and receiving a pension based on 33 qualifying years, so these two years matter.
• After an eleven-month delay, being told there is “nothing on the system” does not inspire confidence.

My main question is this: once the HMRC letter finally arrives confirming payable years, how long do you normally have to make payment? Are we talking weeks, a month, or longer?

Given the delay and confusion between departments, I want to make sure I will not be put under unreasonable pressure to pay immediately and that my original registration before April 2025 is honoured.

If anyone has gone through the process of receiving the HMRC confirmation letter after a long delay, I would be grateful to know how much time you were given to pay and whether everything was honoured correctly once it reached HMRC rather than the Future Pension Centre.

molerat

Reports here state the time given to pay for the extended deadline contributions is 28 days.

You do understand how the transition to the new pension works and which years would actually add to your pension ?

And that "35 years" is meaningless for anyone with a pre 2016 history ?

AKUK1

Yes, and thanks for that information about payment times.

DRS1

@AKUK1 Are you sure the person on the phone wasn't trying to tell you the 2023 top up had got you to the maximum state pension already? What is your weekly amount currently?

AKUK1

Thanks for the comments

For clarity, I checked my State Pension forecast before reaching pension age and it confirmed that I could improve my pension by adding qualifying years. I had a number of gaps between 1983 and 2016, so my 6 April 2016 starting amount was below the full new State Pension.
I am currently receiving £854.68 every 4 weeks. From April 2026 (26/27 rate) this will be £895.68 every 4 weeks.
My forecast showed that by adding the two missing years I could increase my entitlement further.
This is not about chasing a generic “35 years” figure. It is specifically about two incomplete years on my NI record which, according to my forecast, would increase my pension.
So to keep it simple — it is just two years, and those two years do make a difference.

I hope the letter confirms that I can pay for the two outstanding years and it was just one department not having the correct information. Like I said, the system is broken!

molerat

Which 2 years do you want to pay ? If 19-20 and later I might be tempted to stick a cheque and letter in the post and see what transpires as those years are in time and cannot fail to increase the pension amount under any circumstances. And only 2 ? A third would give you another £3.42 pw.

DRS1

I suspect the years are 22/3 and 23/4. I think he may be hoping he will be told that the rate for 22/3 is £824.20 (the pre April 25 rate) not £923 (the current rate).