Topping up state pension .Which years ?

Curlywurly22

I was missing 7 years , I bought two years after 2016 which brought me up to 35 years . I still needed to buy 5 more years as I was contracted out until 1991 , I was then receiving credits until 2009 . I've recently received a letter telling me I can buy years after the April 25 deadline so after another call to the future pensions service I have bought 5 years but I think I may have bought the wrong years .I bought a block of years before 2016 , should I have bought the years after 2016 ? 
Also my NI  record has been updated as showing those years now as full but the forecast is giving a figure up to April 2024 and is saying I still need to contribute . 
When I talked to the future pensions he didn't mention which years I should buy , I just went back and bought the cheapest years . I'm so confused , can some one help . The forecast states the figure I could get if I continue to contribute which is the amount I expected to get after topping up . In a nutshell , does it matter if you buy years before 2016 or after.  Thankyou in advance 

molerat

How many years 2015-16 and earlier did you have ?  If contracted out only a maximum of 30 pre 2016 years will generally count so topping up beyond that often gives no benefit.  If you give the following details of your forecast pre topping up we can give the correct analysis.

Weekly £££.pp amount up to April 2025.

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 you filled

jem16

Curlywurly22 said:

When I talked to the future pensions he didn't mention which years I should buy , I just went back and bought the cheapest years . I'm so confused , can some one help . The forecast states the figure I could get if I continue to contribute which is the amount I expected to get after topping up . In a nutshell , does it matter if you buy years before 2016 or after.  Thankyou in advance 

Molerat will help once you answer his questions but are you sure that the FPC didn’t tell you which years to buy as that’s really what they’re there to do?

if they didn’t then I’m becoming more and more disillusioned with them. I’ve recently come across a case where someone has overpaid by around £1200 as they were advised not to use cheaper Class 2 years in favour of more expensive Class 3 years. Basically a total mess!

Curlywurly22

Hello both , thankyou for your replies.  I have spoken to future pensions for a third time this morning. It seems that on the second occasion I was not given the correct advice and yes I was not told which years to buy which resulted in only two of the years I purchased actually benefiting me . The lady I spoke to today was excellent , she has unravelled the error and spoken to the contributions dept and then put them through to me , they have  switched the wrong 3 years of payments to the correct ones and my forecast has been updated immediately to show I will now receive the full state pension . 
I think this is a warning to all going through this process to check and double check and if something doesn't look right , chase it up straight away . 
This pension system has to be one of the most complicated systems ever put together and I don't know how these advisors do it . Everyone's work history is so unique to them , it's understandable errors are made . 
If anyone else is reading this and you want to buy missing years , don't leave the phone conversation without asking WHAT YEARS DO I BUY ?? 
I hope they can simplify this system in the future because currently its an absolute nightmare 😫 

JoeCrystal

Curlywurly22 said:

I hope they can simplify this system in the future because currently its an absolute nightmare 😫 

One option is not to permit the buying of past years older than the last tax year, which would certainly simplify the whole thing significantly. 

jem16

Curlywurly22 said:

Hello both , thankyou for your replies.  I have spoken to future pensions for a third time this morning. It seems that on the second occasion I was not given the correct advice and yes I was not told which years to buy which resulted in only two of the years I purchased actually benefiting me . The lady I spoke to today was excellent , she has unravelled the error and spoken to the contributions dept and then put them through to me , they have  switched the wrong 3 years of payments to the correct ones and my forecast has been updated immediately to show I will now receive the full state pension . 
I think this is a warning to all going through this process to check and double check and if something doesn't look right , chase it up straight away . 
This pension system has to be one of the most complicated systems ever put together and I don't know how these advisors do it . Everyone's work history is so unique to them , it's understandable errors are made . 
If anyone else is reading this and you want to buy missing years , don't leave the phone conversation without asking WHAT YEARS DO I BUY ?? 
I hope they can simplify this system in the future because currently its an absolute nightmare 😫 

The system is only complicated at the moment due to the transition from old system to new system. It's also complicated by the fact that people could go back to 2006 as a transitional arrangement but pre 2016 years wouldn't necessarily improve the pension. We still have that ongoing due to the callback promises.

For those not eligible still to go back to 2006 it will all be much simpler as 2016 onwards cannot fail to improve your pension.

I'm glad that the FPC has finally sorted it. I'm also glad to say that the person I mentioned who overpaid by around £1200 due to FPC errors is going to get it back.

Curlywurly22

Jem16,  you're exactly right and this is what made mine so difficult . I'm glad the person you know will get the money back . 
Honestly,  despite it being explained to me today , I still don't understand it but its sorted now and I'll sleep better tonight . 
Thankyou once again for responding today.