# Advice on making voluntary UK NI contributions



## greengal (21 Feb 2022)

I am 56 and have worked in Ireland since 1995, so have payed 27 years of PRSI contributions to date.   I am currently employed and planning to stay working for the next 10 years or so and then retire in Ireland, which would bring me to approx. 37 years of contributions.

My question is in relation to making voluntary NI contributions in the UK.
I worked in the UK from 1986 to 1996 and at some stage contracted out of SERPS. On my NI record statement (from 2019), it says that I currently have 13 qualifying years up to April 2019 and there is an option for me to make additional voluntary contributions for each of the 13 tax years from 2006/07 up to 2018/2019. The dead-line for this payment is *April 2023* and the cost is 780 per year.

Does it make sense to pay these voluntary contributions to try and maximise my UK pension ?

I presume I could then continue to make voluntary contributions going forward to get me close to 35 years of UK NI contributions ?


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## NoRegretsCoyote (21 Feb 2022)

greengal said:


> Does it make sense to make these voluntary contributions to try and maximise my UK pension ?


Yes. It's better than any investment return out there. If you have to borrow money make sure to make those contributions by April 2023!


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## november16 (21 Feb 2022)

greengal said:


> I am 56 and have worked in Ireland since 1995, so have payed 27 years of PRSI contributions to date.   I am currently employed and planning to stay working for the next 10 years or so and then retire in Ireland, which would bring me to approx. 37 years of contributions.
> 
> My question is in relation to making voluntary NI contributions in the UK.
> I worked in the UK from 1986 to 1996 and at some stage contracted out of SERPS. On my NI record statement (from 2019), it says that I currently have 13 qualifying years up to April 2019 and there is an option for me to make additional voluntary contributions for each of the 13 tax years from 2006/07 up to 2018/2019. The dead-line for this payment is *April 2023* and the cost is 780 per year.
> ...


Do you mind my asking why are you been quoted 780 do you know. I thought you might be entitled to pay NIC 2 which are much cheaper?


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## Jano (21 Feb 2022)

november16 said:


> Do you mind my asking why are you been quoted 780 do you know. I thought you might be entitled to pay NIC 2 which are much cheaper?


I believe that if you are employed or self-employed in Ireland then you only pay GBP 158 per year approx for your NI contributions. I was quoted the higher amount and wrote asking to be assessed for NIC2 which was subsequently offered to me.


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## Farma1 (22 Feb 2022)

Yes - if you were working here and paying PRSI it should be the lower contribution - did you fill in the form at the back of NI38 leaflet? at the higher rate its good value, at £158 per year it should be the best investment you ever make!!!


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## phoenix53 (22 Feb 2022)

Hi, can I just ask if that date of April 2023 is specific to your situation?  Is the dead line date a case by case date?  Thank you.


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## NoRegretsCoyote (22 Feb 2022)

phoenix53 said:


> Hi, can I just ask if that date of April 2023 is specific to your situation?


I think it is general, from HMRC. Someone explained that it is due to some change in eligibility so the window closes for back payments.



> You’re a man born after 5 April 1951 or a woman born after 5 April 1953​You have until 5 April 2023 to pay voluntary contributions to make up for gaps between April 2006 and April 2016 if you’re eligible.


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## greengal (22 Feb 2022)

phoenix53 said:


> Hi, can I just ask if that date of April 2023 is specific to your situation?  Is the dead line date a case by case date?  Thank you.


Hi phoenix53,  I'm not sure, I was given a date of 05/04/23 to make contributions for tax years up to 2016/2017 and then the following deadlines:

05/04/2024 for tax year 2017/2018
05/04/2025 for tax year 2018/2019


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## greengal (22 Feb 2022)

november16 said:


> Do you mind my asking why are you been quoted 780 do you know. I thought you might be entitled to pay NIC 2 which are much cheaper?


No, I wondered if it was because i had contracted out of SERPS back in the day.


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## greengal (22 Feb 2022)

Jano said:


> I believe that if you are employed or self-employed in Ireland then you only pay GBP 158 per year approx for your NI contributions. I was quoted the higher amount and wrote asking to be assessed for NIC2 which was subsequently offered to me.


Thanks Jano, That is helpful information, and I will do likewise.


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## greengal (22 Feb 2022)

Farma1 said:


> Yes - if you were working here and paying PRSI it should be the lower contribution - did you fill in the form at the back of NI38 leaflet? at the higher rate its good value, at £158 per year it should be the best investment you ever make!!!


H Farma1, 

I haven't filled out any forms yet. I initially made contact with HRMC by phone and gave them my Irish address and they sent a copy my NI record  with a list of the years that I am eligible to make contributions.  As the deadline is approaching I am focusing on getting this sorted in the next month or two.


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## Carnmore (22 Feb 2022)

greengal said:


> No, I wondered if it was because i had contracted out of SERPS back in the day.


I also opted out of SERPS and pay the Class 2 rate.

The difference from opting out is I will need circa 37 years (rather than 35) for a full UK contributory state pension


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## greengal (22 Feb 2022)

Carnmore said:


> I also opted out of SERPS and pay the Class 2 rate.
> 
> The difference from opting out is I will need circa 37 years (rather than 35) for a full UK contributory state pension


Thanks for that.


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## Ontheborder (1 Mar 2022)

I worked in Northern Ireland for just over 3 years, where would I even start to look to see if it's worth making voluntary contributions?


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## NoRegretsCoyote (1 Mar 2022)

Ontheborder said:


> I worked in Northern Ireland for just over 3 years, where would I even start to look to see if it's worth making voluntary contributions?


Start here.

It's almost certainly worth your while making them.


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## Ontheborder (1 Mar 2022)

Thank you


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## november16 (7 Mar 2022)

greengal said:


> H Farma1,
> 
> I haven't filled out any forms yet. I initially made contact with HRMC by phone and gave them my Irish address and they sent a copy my NI record  with a list of the years that I am eligible to make contributions.  As the deadline is approaching I am focusing on getting this sorted in the next month or two.


Hi Farma I was told I could not get a copy of my national contributions as I did not have an uk address. They seem to tell different people different things. It appears though that record is not accurate as they have not taken into account some of my time working there so my forecast will then be inaccurate.


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## NoRegretsCoyote (7 Mar 2022)

november16 said:


> Hi Farma I was told I could not get a copy of my national contributions as I did not have an uk address.


You can't set it up online unless you have a UK address.

If you call them up it can be done of course.


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## Peanuts20 (7 Mar 2022)

november16 said:


> Hi Farma I was told I could not get a copy of my national contributions as I did not have an uk address. They seem to tell different people different things. It appears though that record is not accurate as they have not taken into account some of my time working there so my forecast will then be inaccurate.


If you ring them up, they will send it out. You can't obtain it online without a UK address


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## Zep240 (7 Mar 2022)

You situation is almost identical to mine and l have now paid Class 2 back to 2006 (also contracted out at some stage). At the time it was 2006-2018. It is worth trying to set up a Gov Gateway ID account online. I did all mine by post initially, however, when l went to create an account it had my old UK address and I was then able to change it to my address here. I paid the first time by check. I now get a paper bill annually and pay by electronic transfer. I now have 30 years of contributions. I have also done my wife's which are Class 3. She didn't contract out and will max out at 35 years. Given l contracted out it looks more like it will be 37 years as the increase each year is slightly different. Both are great value. I didn't do the direct debit so l don't forget not to over pay years when the pension is at it's maximum.


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## nest egg (7 Mar 2022)

Does anyone know if you can make additional contributions if you've already retired?
My mother receives a partial UK state pension. She wasn't aware that she could have made additional NICs to increase it. She was born before 5th April 1953 if it makes any difference.


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## november16 (7 Mar 2022)

Peanuts20 said:


> If you ring them up, they will send it out. You can't obtain it online without a UK address


They told me they couldn't post it either this is my second time phoning and asking same question. I worked short time 4 yrs 87 to 1990. They suggested just fill out vol ni form asap


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## Peanuts20 (8 Mar 2022)

november16 said:


> They told me they couldn't post it either this is my second time phoning and asking same question. I worked short time 4 yrs 87 to 1990. They suggested just fill out vol ni form asap


All I know is they posted mine out to me 2 months ago once I told them I lived in the ROI and couldn't access it online.


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## NoRegretsCoyote (8 Mar 2022)

november16 said:


> They told me they couldn't post it either this is my second time phoning and asking same question


It shouldn't be a problem if you have your UK NI number and last address.


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## jfrank (8 Mar 2022)

mojoask said:


> Does anyone know if you can make additional contributions if you've already retired?
> My mother receives a partial UK state pension. She wasn't aware that she could have made additional NICs to increase it. She was born before 5th April 1953 if it makes any difference.


You can pay voluntary contributions for up to 6 years after reaching your UK state retirement date, however, you will only get the Class 3 rate, not the cheaper Class 2.


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## november16 (9 Mar 2022)

NoRegretsCoyote said:


> It shouldn't be a problem if you have your UK NI number and last address.


Thanks NoRegretsCoyote, My last address threre was  in dec 1990. I was told I would have to get the irish pensions section to request my N.I. Record from HRMS this must be inaccurate as Im 7 yrs away from the now uk pension age.


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## NoRegretsCoyote (9 Mar 2022)

november16 said:


> Thanks NoRegretsCoyote, My last address threre was in dec 1990.


Try sending them form NI38 and put in as much detail as you have (all UK addresses you ever had, NI number, etc) if you have it.

It seems a bit odd that they won't supply to a client directly once they've made a reasonable attempt to establish who they are.


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## november16 (10 Mar 2022)

NoRegretsCoyote said:


> Try sending them form NI38 and put in as much detail as you have (all UK addresses you ever had, NI number, etc) if you have it.
> 
> It seems a bit odd that they won't supply to a client directly once they've made a reasonable attempt to establish who they are.


 Thanks NoRegretsCoyote, I will do that. I have N.I. number and an address. I am in the process of completing the form and hopefully can pay NIC 2 for some of the years at least. Thanks everyone its good to be able to ask questions on this site.


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