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

Well done with taking action. You are unlikely to regret it providing you live long enough to become eligible for the payments.

The process is to:

-Decide which tax years you want to pay for, selecting the earliest ones first as tax years before 2018-2019 will become ineligible in April this year. It doesn't matter if you mix up class 2 and 3 payments together.

-Next ring HMRC to advise them which tax years you intend to pay for. They will flag these years on their system in anticipation of receiving your payment. If you accidentally overpay they will allocate any overpayment to another or future tax year.

-Calculate the total payment (comprised of classes 2 and 3 for the years you informed HMRC of) and pay it.

-Wait for your record to be updated. There could be some delay with this.
Thanks so much Kev1964 - I will go sort it this week!
 
Hi,
I have worked in UK for 4 years from 1988 to 1991 and Ireland for 34 years in 1984/85 and from 1991 to present. I am 58 now. I bought back years of pension in uk with voluntary contributions which brings me up to 26 years in UK. If I continue to work in ireland and pay voluntary contributions in uk I should have 40 years of service in ireland and 34 years in UK. Will I get a full pension in both countries on this basis?

If i stopped at 60 I will be a bit short in both countries, say 36 years in ireland and 28 years in uk. Will I get a pro rata pension from both countries, for instance 36/40 in ireland and 28/35 in uk?
 
Hi,
I have worked in UK for 4 years from 1988 to 1991 and Ireland for 34 years in 1984/85 and from 1991 to present. I am 58 now. I bought back years of pension in uk with voluntary contributions which brings me up to 26 years in UK. If I continue to work in ireland and pay voluntary contributions in uk I should have 40 years of service in ireland and 34 years in UK. Will I get a full pension in both countries on this basis?

If i stopped at 60 I will be a bit short in both countries, say 36 years in ireland and 28 years in uk. Will I get a pro rata pension from both countries, for instance 36/40 in ireland and 28/35 in uk?
Yes you will get paid for both
 
You say that you intend to stop work at 60, but note that the state pension would not be paid until you reach retirement age , which is currently 66 in Ireland, 67 in the UK ( although it could change )

Also, to clarify the amounts, there are online resources to check the exact amounts that you are currently entitled to.
 
Good morning everyone,

On what grounds were people moved from a class 3 to a class 2? I've written to Rev UK but heard nothing back. Should I begin to pay my back payments for Class 3 and is it possible to adjust accordingly should I get approved for class 2?
 
Hi Mags,

I thought that I completed it online and had an app number as well. I'm redoing it now. I don't have my dates for starting and finishing work or staying in UK correct. How did people over come that with the online application? I was thinking of printing off the CF83 Form and attaching a cover letter explaining this?

Also, what are people typically answering for question below?

Type of voluntary contributions applying to pay?

I answered:

Both ongoing annual payments and back payments
 
Hi Mags,

I thought that I completed it online and had an app number as well. I'm redoing it now. I don't have my dates for starting and finishing work or staying in UK correct. How did people over come that with the online application? I was thinking of printing off the CF83 Form and attaching a cover letter explaining this?

Also, what are people typically answering for question below?

Type of voluntary contributions applying to pay?

I answered:

Both ongoing annual payments and back payments
I filled in the CF83 form and sent a comprehensive cover letter. I also included a breakdown of my PRSI payments since I came to Ireland - you can find this online. In my case it was enough to change all my years from class 3 to class 2. All the info I got on this forum from helpful posters to whom I am very grateful.
 
Hi Mags,

I thought that I completed it online and had an app number as well. I'm redoing it now. I don't have my dates for starting and finishing work or staying in UK correct. How did people over come that with the online application? I was thinking of printing off the CF83 Form and attaching a cover letter explaining this?

Also, what are people typically answering for question below?

Type of voluntary contributions applying to pay?

I answered:

Both ongoing annual payments and back payments
If you applied already and got an app number then you should get a letter depending on whether you did it fully online or printed it and posted it. The latter will take much longer than doing it 100% online which is what I did.
 
My wife made 3 phonecalls to uk pensions today and now considers herself an expert on how to pay back payments .
Firstly the are so backlogged that they admitted it may up to 57 weeks for them to update your online details. So don't panic. Once you are in the system they have to deal with you eventually.
Secondly the penalty could be up to 10% of payments going forward if you do not pay them before the penalty date.
 
Two good things to report. They have finally (8 years I think?) fixed the problem where you couldn't get an HMRC login if you had an Irish passport - you can now use the app with the chip on your passport to identify yourself.

Also if you have to ring HMRC, do this at 08.30 - I got through in less than 5 mins today. Delighted to report the charming Andrew, who I spoke to, could see my payment from October which had not been updated in my record (reason for call), and told me to pay for 2023-2025 you can ring after April when 24 and 25 will be set up on their system.

It's time consuming and a painfully confusing procedure, but well worth it in the end. Especially if you have documentation to show you were self employed, so entitled to Class 2 contributions.
 
Back
Top