CF83 reply letter - is call to Pension Service required or optional

maullwurff

The letter says: "Due to changes in the law, you need to call the Pension Service to confirm whether your State Pension will increase if you pay any shortfall".

Is this call absolutely required? (e.g. do I get some sort of reference number if I make the call etc. that I need for payment).

I left the UK in 1986 and have no complete years (just the 3 given at 16) so making the payment will definitely increase my State Pension (payment for 2006/2007 to 2024/2025).

It seems to me that I can just go ahead and make the payment without the call - just using the NI number + IC + surname + initials to the "GB49 BARC 2020 4830 9447 93" account (as mentioned in Paying National Insurance contributions from abroad, https://www.hmrc.gov.uk/gds/payinghmrc/ins13.pdf)

This is probably obvious, but I don't want to get this wrong(!)

Thanks for any advice

jem16

You don’t need to make the call in your circumstances. You have the appropriate reference to use when making the payment. Noth8ng further would be given.