Voluntary national insurance top up, the system is impossible to use

[Nolieinforme]

AIBU in wanting a usable system? Posting here for traffic and hopefully will be seen by someone who knows how the system works.

So, I have seen recent advice to voluntarily top up national insurance contributions but cannot for the life of me work out how to do so.

I am a SAHP of 3DC, have not worked (paid) since going on mat leave with eldest in 2000. Before that I worked for various companies, always paid through the books (not cash) and I know National Insurance deductions were made.

DH is a high earner, long hours etc, so we decided early on that I was going to be the SAHP and he the breadwinner. Further down the line we had 2 more DC, one on autistic spectrum and one with a medical condition, so I ended up not going back to work. The years have flown by, I'm now 51 and have done lots of volunteering over last 22 years but never actually been paid by anyone, so no earnings since 2000. I also opted out of receiving child benefit as we were over the threshold.

I would like to access my National Insurance account, see what I have and what top ups I might be able to pay. I have recently had a small windfall and thought this would be a good use for it.

My AIBU is that the system does not seem fit for this purpose. My national insurance number doesn't seem to be useful for anything. Computer says I need a Government Gateway account, but won't let me set one up as I do not fit into any of the listed categories: setting up a business, employing people, etc. I am at my wits end, having spent hours googling and going round in circles.

Has anyone any experience of this system or how it works?

Not sure why you've found it hard. I just applied via Gov.uk, paid a lump sum to cover one year I missed and set up a DD monthly. By next April will be fully paid up.

Govt gateway account is open to all citizens, just find a rough category to put yourself in. It's only there for information gathering purposes anyway. Bit like ethnicity boxes

You'll only be able to go back six years but it's a start.

www.gov.uk/check-national-insurance-record

Yes OP it is utter shit. Told me No account registered to my email as I was looking at my user id they had sent to that very email in 2017. So. Have to try and explain that to a humanoid. They have always given me the wrong information on the several times I have tried to resolve this. Really, really crap. You have my full empathy.

I used it to top up my NI , it costs around£800 a year .
I didn't find it difficult to find out what my contributions were using the Government Gateway.
Before you make the contributions make sure you need to. While you are claiming child benefit you get NI contributions which is a reason to carry on claiming even if your partner is a high earner and has to pay extra tax.
Also do you intend to work again before retirement age? If so you may be able to pay enough NI to claim a full pension. On the gateway you can also see a pensions forecast

Wouldn't you be better off putting the windfall into a private pension?

The gateway is open to everyone just put "setting up business" and you'll get in.

You can only (usually) top up for the last 6 years. Speak to DWP before you top it up to make sure you'll get the desired outcome for your State Pension. MIL recently paid voluntary NI after taking early retirement on medical grounds and HMRC told her to speak to DWP first.

Once you've had advice from DWP, speak to HMRC and they'll advise you how to pay.

You can check your state pension forecast online through your Personal Tax Account or via Check Your State Pension. You'll need a Government Gateway log on.

Even tho you opted out of child benifit, you should still have recieved NI credits until the youngest was 12. Check that is there before topping up any years.

But, yes, the system isn't fit for purpose.

You can find a form online to fill out and send off or online that will give you a forecast, then when you receive the forecast it tells you what to do next. I agree anything online government related is hard, my DH is self employed and I have trouble entering passwords and gateway number.

If you have an underlying entitlement to CHB you won't need to. How old is your youngest dc?

Once you have your government gateway set up and can see your non-full contribution years, your NI record will show you how much you need to pay for each year that is not a full year.

Then you have to speak (phone) to the Future Pension Centre (a government agency) and they will confirm if you will actually benefit by paying the shortfall (i.e. that your projected state pension will increase - because sometimes you can pay but with no increase to your pension 🤷).

If they confirm it's in your interest to pay, they will advise you to phone another agency in HMRC who after confirming that you have spoken to the Future Pension Centre will give you a reference number which you input on their online payment system to make the payment.

Each call can take 30 minutes waiting in a queue before you get to speak to anyone at the moment so be prepared for a long morning or afternoon to do the whole thing!

Bit of a mistake not claiming Child benefit, it wasn't means tested until 2013 so don't know why upu didn't claim before them. Even after, you could have received NI stamps for having a child under 12 with it.

Oh good grief, I was hoping to do the same.

What is the point if it won't actually help your state pension (or enough help).

@Pixiedust1234

What is the point if it won't actually help your state pension (or enough help).

Because the criteria do change depending on who is in government.

As pp said contact the Future Pension Centre. Contact details here www.gov.uk/future-pension-centre

I found it fairly straightforward and the lady I spoke with on the phone line was very nice and helpful in working out whether it was worth topping up for certain years.
I'm pretty sure that there is a time limit of 6 years if you're paying for previous years, as pp said.

I have very similar circumstances to you OP and I actually went into my NI record by setting up a Government Gateway account the other day. Can't remember what option I clicked on but I certainly don't recall it not covering my circumstances. It was long winded as I needed my passport and driving licence but once I got through that it was fine. I've actually checked my record before and paid up one incomplete year. Some of my NI credits come from claiming Carers Allowance (no longer claiming) as well as some from Child Benefit and 16 years of work. I'm now 3 years short of a full pension and can make up those payments any time up to my 66th birthday (my retirement age is 67)

Many thanks for all the replies on this, really really helpful.

I managed to set up the Gateway and access my account, I had a lot more there than I thought I did, so that was a nice surprise. I had been credited many years of child benefit allowance, even though we were not receiving it.

I have spoken to a very helpful lady at the Future Pensions Centre (after holding for 45mins but I expected that so was doing something while I waited).

I have paid some missing contributions, via HMRC online and another very helpful lady who set up an online paying in slip and reference (a shorter wait on hold that time).

I am now fully paid up and will receive my maximum pension, so feeling accomplished with my morning, managed to get some other jobs done too while I was waiting😀

So for the PP who were hoping to do the same, I would recommend topping up if you can. If I last until 67, I am predicted to get a lot more than I have topped up, so for me it has worked.
As PP have said, you can only go back 6 years and every year the contributions for the missed years increase, so it's better to pay as soon as you can.

You can also (obviously) include future years national insurance contributions if you will be working, depending on your current age and when you plan to retire.