HMRC waiting time period to sort out additional NI payments

Manchesterlodger

Hi there, I've just called HMRC about a completed CF83 form that I sent them by registered post 23rd May 2025. I want to make some additional payments to make up some missing State Pension years from a time when I was living overseas. 

Staff informed me that they were still processing applications that came in on 6th December 2024! And that the likely processing time for my application would be by 3rd March 2026 - although this could change. 

I am just posting this information here partly to make people aware of the considerable waiting time period but also because I think it clearly demonstrates a lack of resources in HMRC to deal with this. People are encouraged to look at their pensions and to try and sort things out - and then face months and months of waiting time. Aside from writing to my MP to draw attention to HMRC being under resourced, is there anything else that I can do?

I also wanted to make some additional pension contributions to my current workplace pension and I was hoping to sort out the missing pension years from my State pension before looking at that. I now feel I need to make some decisions around adding to my current workplace pension now rather than waiting until I hear back from HMRC next year about the State pension.   

Any useful advice appreciated, thanks.  

squirrelpie

Manchesterlodger said:

I also wanted to make some additional pension contributions to my current workplace pension and I was hoping to sort out the missing pension years from my State pension before looking at that. I now feel I need to make some decisions around adding to my current workplace pension now rather than waiting until I hear back from HMRC next year about the State pension.

It sounds sensible to decide about your current pension whilst you're waiting to hear about your state pension. Is there some reason that makes that difficult?

QrizB

squirrelpie said:

Manchesterlodger said:

I also wanted to make some additional pension contributions to my current workplace pension and I was hoping to sort out the missing pension years from my State pension before looking at that. I now feel I need to make some decisions around adding to my current workplace pension now rather than waiting until I hear back from HMRC next year about the State pension.

It sounds sensible to decide about your current pension whilst you're waiting to hear about your state pension. Is there some reason that makes that difficult?

Possibly the OP has limited funds and wants to prioritise buying their missing years?

squirrelpie

QrizB said:

squirrelpie said:

Manchesterlodger said:

I also wanted to make some additional pension contributions to my current workplace pension and I was hoping to sort out the missing pension years from my State pension before looking at that. I now feel I need to make some decisions around adding to my current workplace pension now rather than waiting until I hear back from HMRC next year about the State pension.

It sounds sensible to decide about your current pension whilst you're waiting to hear about your state pension. Is there some reason that makes that difficult?

Possibly the OP has limited funds and wants to prioritise buying their missing years?

Well that's possible of course and that's why I asked them for the answer. I was hoping to avoid idle specualtion.

Manchesterlodger

Yes re my funds. I have kind of estimated that I may have to pay HMRC up to about £8K although someone I spoke to by phone suggested it might not be more than about half that (4K) but couldn't say for sure. I wanted to plan to divide whatever was left in my remaining funds, after paying for the additional years, into some of my current workplace pension but also retain enough for an emergency fund given that I'm employed on precarious 1 year contracts and have had 2 instances in the past 2 years where contract funding was pulled - fortunately a new arrangement was made at the last minute so I kept my job but each time it's happened, it's made me realise I could be job hunting again. I'm in my sixties and have a disability - so not an easy situation to find another job in. 

squirrelpie

OK thanks, so you need to set aside your emergency fund and then you don't need to think about that money any more. Then the only unknown you have is how much you need/want to pay in voluntary NI contributions. But HMRC aren't the right people to ask about that anyway, you need the FPC or the IPC depending on your age. As an alternative, you might be able to get an answer now by posting enough information here for the expert people to work out how much it will cost you.