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

The Letter directs me to gov.uk and search 'pay voluntary class3 national insurance' and follow 'overseas payments' heading....
 
An update on my situation. Paid my back years in May 2024. Rang HMRC on Friday to check in and he said he’d update my record on Monday. Checked yesterday and it’s duly correctly updated for the years 2006- 2024. He also said the amount I paid, which was £2968.25, was exactly right. It’s the same amount for everyone on Class 2 for those years.
 
£2968.25 is the exact amount I also paid in sterling via the Bank of Ireland app for class 2 payments back to 2006. I rang today just to make sure that the payment has gone through and thankfully it has. I am so relieved that the process is complete. Thanks again to everyone who set up and has contributed to these threads.
 
Did they accept you straight away with just 1 year contribution work in UK ?, were you not asked for proof of work or residence in another EEA country in order to fulfill the 3 year minimum?
I had 2 years work contributions in UK but was rejected initially because I didn't meet the 3 year minimum requirement, I had to send my prsi contributions to even get accepted and then only for class 3 ?
 
mugsymugsy said:
If you don't mind when did you pay this? Just wondering about timeframes
Click to expand...
I paid it on the 12th of March and just rang today to confirm that they had received it. My online National Insurance Record hasn't been updated yet but I am happy to know that they have received the payment and that my account will be credited in due course.
 
Just an update on my journey, I paid lump sum previously to buy back around 17 years last year but only got around to paying regular ongoing contribution (in respect of 2024) yesterday. Very straight forward with revolut and details of HMRC bank account already saved
 
I paid for 14 years in a lump sum. I also sent a letter stating what years I wanted to allocate to.
I made the transfer on Feb 20th 2025. Rang them a week after but they said to ring back in 3 weeks.

Rang them today 27/3/2025 and they confirmed they had received my payment on that date, and he could see the letter scanned up on my file.
So the payments will be allocated in due course.
It took around 50 minutes to answer the call. I used Skype with UK landline subscription to make the call.
 
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Called this AM to check payments made on 19th Feb for myself and spouse. Was able to confirm payment and years to allocate online for me and then pass phone to spouse to do same. Very efficient and all done and dusted in 50 mins, including being on hold for approx 40 mins. Called at 8.50 AM. Cannot express my thanks enough to all the posters on here. @DannyBoyD gets a special mention!
 
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Can someone ELI5 please.


I have 8 full years showing on my UK National Insurance record, from 2015 to 2023
It shows my forecast as £11,541.90 a year
On the 9th year, I am short by £907.40
If I pay that, and then pay again for 2024 to 2025, do I get the above forecast UK state pension then?

Or do I need to keep paying every year until retirement to get that pension instead?

Do I also not need to worry about the April 5th cut off since it's stopping the 18 year back pay, and keeping it as 6 year back pay - I can still pay back in the last 6 years after that?
 
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I see that the Voluntary Class 2 and Class 3 NICS will be increased again in 2025/2026

The Spring Statement 2025

Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, held the Spring Statement on Wednesday 26 March 2025. Read a summary here.
www.whitleystimpson.co.uk

National Insurance contributions - National Insurance contributions - Article Witney : Fiscalis

www.fiscalis.co.uk

"For those paying voluntarily, the government will also increase Class 2 and Class 3 NICs to £3.50 and £17.75 respectively for 2025/26."
So better to pay the cheaper earlier years before the deadline ..

FromTo
Class 3 NICSAnnual
52​
2025​
2026​
£ 923.00£ 17.75
2024​
2025​
£ 907.40£ 17.45
2023​
2024​
£ 907.40£ 17.45
2022​
2023​
£ 824.20£ 15.85
2021​
2022​
£ 800.80£ 15.40
2020​
2021​
£ 795.60£ 15.30
2019​
2020​
£ 824.20£ 15.85
2018​
2019​
£ 824.20£ 15.85
 
If you read the page that the above screenshot is from carefully I suspect you'll find that the amount forecast will only be achieved if you continue to pay annually going forward.
 
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Re Joe Sod, yes HMRc accepted my application for NICs without any proof.
I worked for 1 yr in 1998 and have been credited with 4.
I have appealed the letter in hope of getting class 2 topups.
In any case, if class 3 will be happy to top up 6yrs to make the 10yr min , it's still worth it at 824.20 per annum
 
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