About to pay voluntary UK national insurance contributions

I sent my NI38 and cover letter off on 21st Feb 2022, on 6th May they had calculated my "buy-back". I paid on 27th May 2022 and followed up by phone on 8th September 2022 to see about the crediting to my record, that's when the agent said he would send a note to HMRC for international caseworker, this normally would be "urgent". I received a letter this week, dated 4th October to confirm the allocation. So I feel they did complete the last part reasonably quickly, but my call on the 8th September was important.
 
I received my pension forecast and I have 8 years ( I was only in UK for 5 ) I am now filling out CF83 and I will attach a cover letter, a copy of my pension forecast and a CV showing my work history since returning home. Is there anything else I need? I dont want it bein delayed because I've omitted something.
I have a few further questions, should I fill out the Direct debit mandate on the bottom of the form?
I know I am cutting it fine for the April 23 deadline... but do I still have time to maximise my years?
I'm obviously hoping to get class 2 but if I get class 3 will there still be good value for me? I'm a public service employee and will have close to the 40 years service on retirement.
My husband on the other hand is from the UK originally, has actually 18 years of working there but we haven't had a pension forecast for him yet. He is a tradesman and has very little in the way of a private pension so he is the priority now to get over the line....just need to get him to ring HMRC as they wont speak t me on his behalf!! Again hoping we dont miss the deadline with him
Appreciate any advice
 
I just sent off my husbands form and cover letter today. I did mine back in Feb, got confirmation of buyback credits in May, which I paid. I am assuming that even though the clock is counting down to April 2023, if we get into the system before then, they will follow through. Maybe I am being optinistic but hopefully I will hear back by March 2023.

My husband only has 4 years but as he has an up and down PRSI record here, so I felt it was worth seeing what UK pension he could get, or indeed credits he could pull across to his Irish pension to help him up his averaging score. A lovely chap in Future Pensions said that even paying Class 3 at £824, you'd get your money back in 3 years of claiming the pension. Class 2, they are virtually paying for you.

With my cover letter I listed all employments and weeks employed since 2006, I even attached his DSP PRSI summary, as that shows, paid weeks of emplyment, to support my summary.
 
Another point to note that was another feature of the changes introduced in 2016 was that those already in receipt of a state pension may be able to improve their existing state pension

If you've deferred your state pension or are already claiming it, you need to:

Contact the Pension Service on 0800 731 0469​

It's free and phone lines are open between 8am and 6pm on Monday to Friday. See full Pension Service contact info.
 
Forgot to add, ring the Future Pensions people and they can tell you over the phone how many years your husband needs, he will need to take the phone to confirm his details and NI number.

Re payment, you will need to pay the back credits in a lump sum, but you can decide later how you pay future credits, monthly, annually or in my case in a lump as I will be 67 in 5 years. You need to contact HMRC Voluntary Contributions for that, expect a long wait on the phone.
 
I hear a company advertising on the radio about this topic of buying UK pension contributions. From their advert the window to do this closes at the end of November this month
 
safetymom said:
He is a tradesman and has very little in the way of a private pension so he is the priority now to get over the line....just need to get him to ring HMRC as they wont speak t me on his behalf!!
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He doesn't need to talk to them at all!

Just send off the form to see what level of voluntary NICs he is entitled to pay.

My guess is that once you start the process before April 2023 they won't close the shutters on you
 
NoRegretsCoyote said:
Look back over the threads and you will find people.



My reading of the criteria was that I probably wasn't eligible, but I sent off form NI38 anyway and they confirmed I was eligible for the more expensive Class 3 VCs. I am not quite sure why they accepted but they did and it was the best-value stamp I've ever bought.
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I had a quick look at that NI38 form, it wants to know "your current UK address" then "Name of the country you are going to" etc

the whole thrust of the form and the questions are that the move "abroad" is in the future and you want to pay the voluntary contributions when you are abroad but all this is in the future.

Im intrigued to know how you completed this form if the "move abroad" was long in the past and that the contributions are to fill in for long periods that are in the past. The form doesn't appear to facilitate this?
I would be grateful if you could enlighten me a little here?
 
joe sod said:
I had a quick look at that NI38 form, it wants to know "your current UK address" then "Name of the country you are going to" etc

the whole thrust of the form and the questions are that the move "abroad" is in the future and you want to pay the voluntary contributions when you are abroad but all this is in the future.

Im intrigued to know how you completed this form if the "move abroad" was long in the past and that the contributions are to fill in for long periods that are in the past. The form doesn't appear to facilitate this?
I would be grateful if you could enlighten me a little here?
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I agree, the form is more for those about to leave, that's why your covering letter and supporting information is important. These are the points I covered in my letter:-
* Had a subject line " Buying back NICs from abroad"
* first para, I let them know that I could do this as I had 3 years minimum of employment/NICs, I even quoted the date of my Pension Forcast. I let them know that I knew the rules were changing and that they will look at employment in Ireland from 2006, and I will therefore provide that detail. Dates of employment, company, weeks employed. Any proof of employment is helpful.
* I said I had completed NI38 to the best of my ability given the passage of time and that I am largely looking for "buy-back".
I am sure the caseworkers are familiar with the "buy-back" senario for those outside UK, so as long as you fill in the form in some way and sign, you will be OK. The cover letter is important.
 
Yam1960 said:
I let them know that I knew the rules were changing and that they will look at employment in Ireland from 2006, and I will therefore provide that detail. Dates of employment, company, weeks employed
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I don't understand why employment record in Ireland is relevant for a UK pension?
Is it to do with the unique circumstances pertaining to Ireland with regard to UK pensions and common travel area?
 
joe sod said:
I don't understand why employment record in Ireland is relevant for a UK pension?
Is it to do with the unique circumstances pertaining to Ireland with regard to UK pensions and common travel area?
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If you move to Ireland to work you are assessed under class 2 which is considerably cheaper than class 3
 
Yam1960 said:
I agree, the form is more for those about to leave, that's why your covering letter and supporting information is important. These are the points I covered in my letter:-
* Had a subject line " Buying back NICs from abroad"
* first para, I let them know that I could do this as I had 3 years minimum of employment/NICs, I even quoted the date of my Pension Forcast. I let them know that I knew the rules were changing and that they will look at employment in Ireland from 2006, and I will therefore provide that detail. Dates of employment, company, weeks employed. Any proof of employment is helpful.
* I said I had completed NI38 to the best of my ability given the passage of time and that I am largely looking for "buy-back".
I am sure the caseworkers are familiar with the "buy-back" senario for those outside UK, so as long as you fill in the form in some way and sign, you will be OK. The cover letter is important.
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Thanks Yam for your help with this, I have the form almost complete however there is one important tick box
" Are you ordinarily resident in the UK" tick yes no
Of course I am not ordinarily resident so I presume I just tick No, however it seems to be an important question and by ticking "no" does this preclude me from taking part in this given that the whole format of NI38 is to facilitate people who are temporarily absent from UK and will be returning to UK in the coming years?
 
If not ordinarily U.K. resident tick to that effect. It has no bearing on eligibility to the best of my knowledge
 
Yam1960 said:
I will therefore provide that detail. Dates of employment, company, weeks employed. Any proof of employment is helpful.
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Say, someone has been in Ireland since 2006 and that for the first 7 years after that, he was working and since 2014 he has not worked.

Does anyone know for sure whether the first 7 years are subject to class 2 contributions?
 
jasdpace@gmail. said:
Say, someone has been in Ireland since 2006 and that for the first 7 years after that, he was working and since 2014 he has not worked.

Does anyone know for sure whether the first 7 years are subject to class 2 contributions?
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You need to send off the NI38. You will be assessed based on the information you provide
 
Sure I will send off the NI38.........I was just wondering if anyone had been down that route before so that I'd have a better idea what to expect!!
 
jasdpace@gmail. said:
I was just wondering if anyone had been down that route before
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My personal experience was that HMRC were very liberal in applying their own rules.

You could attach a cover note saying something like "on the basis of the facts presented I believe I am entitled to make Class 2 contributions for the years in question". I can't do you any harm. Good luck and let us know how you get on!
 
joe sod said:
I hear a company advertising on the radio about this topic of buying UK pension contributions. From their advert the window to do this closes at the end of November this month
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I've heard these rumours too but I have also been told heard informally that HMRC will still accept applications up to 5th April 2023, nothing in writing though! I have seen nothing about this November deadline??

Besides, even after 5th April 2023 you will still be able to pay for historic years missing from your NI record, it is just that it will be a narrower window, only 6 historic years (2017/18 onwards) rather than the current 16 (2006/07 - 2021/22) plus, once approved, you can continue to pay them up to your UK state retirement date.
 
Yam1960 said:
Making one-off payment for Class 2 NICs

I made a lump sum payment at the end of May for 16years Class 2 NICs. Just rang HMRC in UK, they have received the payment, but it has not been allocated to my account. The chap I spoke to, said he would send a note to an "International Caseworker" in HMRC, who would do the allocation, apparently this would normally be marked as a "priority". A letter confirming the allocation should be sent to me when this is done. He was unable to give a time line for likely completion.

Just posting this here, as it may be helpful for people to chase their case. I rang 0044 191 203 7010
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@Yam1960 can i check if any update? Thanks.
 
Hi @jim
I went back to check timelines.
* Applied with letter and form 22 Feb 2022.
* Followed up on 3/5/22, was told it was a 10 week wait, i was approaching that. They confirmed that had received my application.
* 20th May received letter with the decision to award me 16 years Class 2. The letter was dated 6th May, so they had completed a few days after my call.
* Paid lump sum by bank transfer - I have a sterling acct, on 30th May.
* Followed up on 8/9/22. Confirmed they had received money, but yet to be allocated to my acct. Was told by agent, they would transfer a service request to an International Caseworker in HMRC, should be High Priority, to be allocated. Unable to confirm service level i.e. when it will be done by.
* Allocation letter dated 4th October 2022, received mid Oct, I didn't note the date.

Hope that's helpful.
 
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