Key Post UK State Pension - Make voluntary contributions to qualify for UK pension on top of Irish pension

I understood that, which is why I provided my UK bank account details on my original form. I still have my UK current account, and I also have a Wise account with a UK IBAN.
I had the same issue. Got accepted a year or so ago having submitted my original form. When I asked about DD from my UK account they said no bother just send in another form with only the DD bit filled in (didn't want to fill in DD on the original form if it was going to be class 3!) so I did so. Earlier this year they got in touch by letter to say I never provided my details around employment etc - they had put up the second dummy form (used for DD only) and so the system said class 3 again.

Had a whole load of hassle but got back to class 2 and was told I'd need to again submit a DD form for yearly payments - I just said I'd make a manual payment and it would mean having to ring them every year to check the class 2 payment for the tax year I'm paying.
 
I'd be interested to get some feedback on the following cases (1): You are aged 60 and are 'living and working abroad' and thus qualify for Class 2 NIC. One morning (still aged 60) you decide that you want to retire early. You are now in the category of 'living abroad but not working'. Do you now qualify for Class 3 NIC or can you still make Class 2 voluntary NIC? At what point do you contact HMRC? (2) Same initial situation but this time you lose your job in Ireland and you are now on social welfare and eventually 'signing on'. Are you still eligible to pay Class 2 NICs or do you move to Class 3?
 
Has anyone tried paying via Revolut? I cannot get any bank to issue a sterling cheque/draft. I also don’t have have a bank account (and no, my name is not Bertie), which complicates matters
 
Is the annual payment done from your Irish bank account directly to HMRC? Or do you first have to send it to your UK bank account? Bit frustrating as I had originally been hoping to automate this process, similar to my UK student loan repayments which I pay through FlyWire.
 
I have Sterling so hasn't been an issue for me, i.e. I will continue to use Sterling from my UK account.
 
I got my letter on Friday that approved me for class 2. I had applied last June, so that gives an indication of the current timelines.

I understand that I need to call them before making a payment, so that it can be allocated. Do I need to do this if I intend to pay for all of the past years that I'm eligible for?

Also, can I just make a the payment online from my euro BOI account and add a bit for currency conversion or do I need to go into a branch and send it in sterling?

Many thanks for everyone's help.
 
It would appear that if you retire early in Ireland ( say at 60 as per above) then you would move to Class 3 NIC payments for the years between 60 and 67. This probably also means that as the retirement age in Ireland is 66 the year between 66 and 67 has to be paid at the Class 3 rate.
 
Sent in the form last June by registered post, got a letter last Friday to say the form wasnt dated. So they wouldnt accept it, asked them would they send me back the form and I would date it and they wouldnt do that! So have to start all over again:mad::mad::mad::mad:
 
Do you know if this is the case if you are drawing from an ARF in Ireland during that time? It would be nice if drawing from an ARF would mean you stay on Class 2 NIC payments (as well as getting a contribution to the Irish Contributory State pension).

Thanks...
 
Hi all, just popped on here to give my thanks to DannyBoyD and all the other contributors. My situation is this: I helped two work colleagues to apply for this back in March 2023, and due to a lot of prevaricating I didn't apply myself until January this year. I could see on the GOV.UK site that they received my application in January,and it was due to be processed early in 2025 but I knew that could change.

Last week out of the blue I received two letters from HMRC. One acknowledging my application to pay Class 2 contributions and details of the payment I needed to make for the tax year 2023/24. The other letter was to tell me I could go back and pay 17 years to make up the shortfall (I have 13 qualifying years). On the letter for paying the shortfall there is a line "Due to changes in the law, you need the pension service to confirm whether your state pension will increase if you pay any shortfall". I am assuming it will based on the updates in the main post on this?

Besides that I am just surprised that my application was processed so quickly. My colleagues are being chased for details of their employment since they returned to Ireland, but mine was straightforward in that I have continual service (through various TUPE's) since I took up employment back in Ireland, so I don't know if that made any difference.

Thanks again.
 
it's all a bit knarly due to the changes that were made in the UK in 2016 with regards to pensions - if you really want to read up the detail, there's a link somewhere in these 24 pages.

so the line they include is their 'get of jail free' card to cover themselves.
 
There's an interesting thread here which might point to an answer to your ARF question. Also the follow on posts from user 'S class' are very informative.

See below Key Post:

https://www.askaboutmoney.com/threads/prsi-and-planning-retirement.232440/
 
Thanks ohrose. Yes I have seen that thread and in fact that's where I learned that you could retire early and that PRSI paid on income from an ARF would count towards the contributory state pension here in Ireland.

My question is really whether the UK authorities would accept ARF income as a basis for paying voluntary NI contributions at class 2 rather than class 3?
 
Got the letter today for 23/24 payment. £179.4
Snap - My letter dated 6th April.

It looks like it's a simple and reliable system once you are set up. I've made my payment now in stg and will check my online DWP pension forecast in a month or so and hope to see an enhanced amount. After that, three more years to go.