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Original poster

National insurance contributions.

90 replies

BusterGonad · 15/02/2023 06:50

Hello. I'm looking to make voluntary NI contributions as I'm living abroad. I have been for 4 or 5 years. I've previously filled the form out and sent it off. They did not return the form (maybe it got lost in the post) and the direct debit didn't get set up, I know they received my forms as a friend posted them in the UK and my details were correct up to date online. I have no idea what happened and why the direct debit didn't go ahead. Can anyone help as I'm unsure if I ticked the right box. Do I want to pay NI class 2 or class 3? Maybe this is why it got rejected? I just wish I could do this all online as posting from thousands of miles away amd waiting for a letter which may not even arrive is ridiculous. Does anyone know of a way to get my missed payments bill sent online?

OP posts:
AutumnCrow · 15/02/2023 07:19

I read something about this online last night, in 'Money Mail' (part of the Mail Online / Daily Mail). It seems there is something of a backlog to deal with at the Dept for Work and Pensions (isn't there always??) and HMRC.

I don't know if the article will be relevant to you directly, but might be worth a google.

Original poster
BusterGonad · 15/02/2023 07:25

Thank you. I don't think it's a back log issue as I sent the form off last year. I just would love for someone to offer help with he difference between Class 2 and 3. I'm refilling the form out and I just don't know which one is best, and I cannot remember which I ticked previously. I'm baffled by it.

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Original poster
BusterGonad · 15/02/2023 07:25

I'll give it a read just in case. 😊

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BitOutOfPractice · 15/02/2023 07:28

You can do it all online op. I know because I checked my NI contributions last week. It’s on the government gateway portal thingy.

Mindymomo · 15/02/2023 07:36

You should pay class 3 if you just want to top up NI for missing years, don’t think you can set up a direct debit, but you can make single payments online. Class 2 is mainly for self employed.

BitOutOfPractice · 15/02/2023 07:40

Here look: you can check and make payments www.gov.uk/check-national-insurance-record

tribpot · 15/02/2023 07:42

Alas you definitely can't do it all online, you would think you can but it's much harder than that. You can check your NI contributions if you have a Government Gateway ID but actually making voluntary contributions is much harder.

When did you send the form last year @BusterGonad ? I saw on the HMRC forum that on 16th Jan this year they were opening the post from 22nd September last year, so by that calculation they're probably up to about mid-October by now? On that thread there is a comment We must have a completed CF83 application from anyone who wants to pay voluntary NICs while abroad. The application is held towards the back of the leaflet NI38 which you use to determine which rate of NICs you wish to pay. I assume that's the form you completed? Have you got leaflet NI38?

I think you want Class 3 contributions, these are voluntary ones to fill in gaps in your NI record. I'm trying to pay some for my DH. You can make the payment online but to do so you need an 18-digit reference number, and this is practically impossible to obtain. If you're in the UK at least you basically have to speak to the Future Pension Centre first (in fairness this is to stop people making contributions that don't change their pension forecast) but as far as I can tell there is one person working at FPC so you just call over and over and over again, get through the menu and the line goes dead.

Original poster
BusterGonad · 15/02/2023 07:43

BitOutOfPractice · 15/02/2023 07:28

You can do it all online op. I know because I checked my NI contributions last week. It’s on the government gateway portal thingy.

You definitely can't. It's a real bummer.

OP posts:
Original poster
BusterGonad · 15/02/2023 07:47

@tribpot I sent the form off and asked them to send me a bill for missed payments. I heard nothing back and presumed that it got lost on route. Its crazy that you can't do it all online as I live in far off places where mail doesn't arrive. They definitely received my original letter as my address got updated on the portal. I'll go for class 3. Another question, does anyone know the monthly payment for class 3? I heard it was £15 per week. Whsih seems alot but understandable.

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Original poster
BusterGonad · 15/02/2023 07:49

And yes it was the NI38.
If I put my parents uk address as point of contact for mail do you think they'd accept that, rather then me waiting in Central Asia for theettwr that may never appear?

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Original poster
BusterGonad · 15/02/2023 07:50

*the mail

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Original poster
BusterGonad · 15/02/2023 07:57

BitOutOfPractice · 15/02/2023 07:40

Here look: you can check and make payments www.gov.uk/check-national-insurance-record

I couldn't et far with that one as I'm not in the EU.

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tribpot · 15/02/2023 07:58

That's tricky isn't it, as the NI38 is for overseas UK citizens, so they might knock you back if you put a UK address in. But you don't really want a paper invoice coming to you where the post is unreliable. It sounds as if they might have sent you an invoice since your address was updated on the portal.

I'd maybe post on the MoneySavingExpert forums for advice, they have a lot of knowledgeable people.

Original poster
BusterGonad · 15/02/2023 08:03

Just for clarity I know how much we need to pay in back payments, what concerns me is how I get the actual letter back regarding payments and the code I need. I'm guessing from the replies I must've ticked the Class 2 box and my application got rejected. I just feel exhausted by it all. I don't even know how I'll get the letter in the post from my end. 😬

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BitOutOfPractice · 15/02/2023 08:05

Oh no. Sorry. I thought I’d solved all your problems! who’s have thought it’d be this hard to pay!

Can you phone? (Might be expensive?) If you can get through I always find them very helpful.

hope you can get sorted

Diamondsmile · 15/02/2023 08:07

@BusterGonad I understand if you have a VPN you can set it to UK so gov.uk website will think you are in the UK. This may enable you to pay online via the Government Gateway.www.gov.uk/log-in-register-hmrc-online-services

What I had to do was contact the future pensions team www.gov.uk/future-pension-centre first. Try phoning them rather than writing.

tribpot · 15/02/2023 08:08

Almost impossible to get through by phone, @BitOutOfPractice . At least with the HMRC number you can listen to hold music for an hour or two, with Future Pension Centre you just get the busy tone and then it cuts off.

I also assumed this would be a simple, online process given you can both check your forecast and make the payment online. But when you go to make the payment, there is a mandatory piece of information you need to put in first, which is this mythical 18-digit reference number. HMRC generate a fresh one for each payment if you can somehow get hold of them to get them to do it.

Original poster
BusterGonad · 15/02/2023 08:08

tribpot · 15/02/2023 07:58

That's tricky isn't it, as the NI38 is for overseas UK citizens, so they might knock you back if you put a UK address in. But you don't really want a paper invoice coming to you where the post is unreliable. It sounds as if they might have sent you an invoice since your address was updated on the portal.

I'd maybe post on the MoneySavingExpert forums for advice, they have a lot of knowledgeable people.

Yes. Maybe it did. But why didn't they set up the direct debit? Its making my head spin to be honest. You would have thought that if you have the gateway portal that they could send you a copy of the letter on there as its so hard to actually log into. I hate the government websites. They are so unuser friendly.

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Lemme · 15/02/2023 08:11

I’m in the U.K. but phoned them and they went through all of my records,
told me how much to pay and then gave me the bank reference number I needed to use to make payments against my account. No need for any paper or letters. I rang mid-morning uk time if that is helpful! Didn’t have to wait long.
This is the number they give for international calls … + 44 191 203 7010.

Original poster
BusterGonad · 15/02/2023 08:11

BitOutOfPractice · 15/02/2023 08:05

Oh no. Sorry. I thought I’d solved all your problems! who’s have thought it’d be this hard to pay!

Can you phone? (Might be expensive?) If you can get through I always find them very helpful.

hope you can get sorted

I wish you had. Could I phone on behalf of my husband if he's at work? That's probably a really dumb question! 🤣

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Original poster
BusterGonad · 15/02/2023 08:12

tribpot · 15/02/2023 08:08

Almost impossible to get through by phone, @BitOutOfPractice . At least with the HMRC number you can listen to hold music for an hour or two, with Future Pension Centre you just get the busy tone and then it cuts off.

I also assumed this would be a simple, online process given you can both check your forecast and make the payment online. But when you go to make the payment, there is a mandatory piece of information you need to put in first, which is this mythical 18-digit reference number. HMRC generate a fresh one for each payment if you can somehow get hold of them to get them to do it.

The mystical 18 digit reference number. 🤣🤣🤣

OP posts:
Lemme · 15/02/2023 08:14

Ahh - before I get your hopes up, I did have access to the long reference number and password etc to access the government gateway although can’t recall if I needed to use it. Do you have yours already?

Original poster
BusterGonad · 15/02/2023 08:15

Mythical ffs.

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Original poster
BusterGonad · 15/02/2023 08:17

Lemme · 15/02/2023 08:14

Ahh - before I get your hopes up, I did have access to the long reference number and password etc to access the government gateway although can’t recall if I needed to use it. Do you have yours already?

I have the gateway code and password but it leads me to information which I cannot act upon. I do not have the bill or the bill payment number.

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tribpot · 15/02/2023 08:19

@Lemme alas you were v lucky to get through to the Future Pension Centre, esp on your first try. I've been trying on and off for weeks with no success, multiple times a day. This is in the UK.