I have been in touch with both pension people in Ireland and the UK. Ireland have told me that I don't qualify for a pension in Ireland as I dot have enough stamps - only worked 4.5 years here. I have been raising children for over 20 years. I thought that I would get stamps for these years that I was caring for my children but apparently I don't until I work another 10 years full time which is not possible. This has concerned me.
So I contacted the UK government pensions department and I do qualify for state pension in the UK but only currently at £62.69 per week. I have received my forecast and can increase this but I have gone back and forth trying to work out which application form I need to send to the UK in order to make voluntary contributions to fill in gaps and make payments for the future. I am not working in Ireland so I believe I can make class 3 voluntary contributions. Can you advise which application form I need to complete please? Is it NI38 or a different form?
Can I also ask if the 2 lots of stamps - UK and Ireland can be combined when I'm at pension age and if so how do I find out what my payments forecast per week would be? Who can tell me this? Ireland or UK? I've had various government people in Ireland tell me yes and others tell me no. It's all been very confusing.
I was unable to do government gateway ID as I only have 1 form of UK ID - my passport. They require at least 2. It has been next to impossible to get through to anyone in the UK via telephone.
Any advice you can offer would be much appreciated as I am worried I will be left with just £62 per week pension.
So I contacted the UK government pensions department and I do qualify for state pension in the UK but only currently at £62.69 per week. I have received my forecast and can increase this but I have gone back and forth trying to work out which application form I need to send to the UK in order to make voluntary contributions to fill in gaps and make payments for the future. I am not working in Ireland so I believe I can make class 3 voluntary contributions. Can you advise which application form I need to complete please? Is it NI38 or a different form?
Can I also ask if the 2 lots of stamps - UK and Ireland can be combined when I'm at pension age and if so how do I find out what my payments forecast per week would be? Who can tell me this? Ireland or UK? I've had various government people in Ireland tell me yes and others tell me no. It's all been very confusing.
I was unable to do government gateway ID as I only have 1 form of UK ID - my passport. They require at least 2. It has been next to impossible to get through to anyone in the UK via telephone.
Any advice you can offer would be much appreciated as I am worried I will be left with just £62 per week pension.