18 digit reference number to pay NI shortfall

[Illegally18]

Does anyone know where I can find this on my HMRC papers? What is it called? I ave called the NI helpline many times, and have not been answered. On the NI helpline, there are 4 options, and I bounce between 1 and 4 and am still no clearer to getting the answer!

You ring them and when you have confirmed how many years you want to pay for and how much, they give you the number. You won't find it on any existing paperwork or Gov Gateway.
Did it in March for OH. Daytime's were impossible to get through, rang first thing and got through straight away.

It doesn't exist on paperwork, unless you've spoken to them and recieved it directly.

As previous posters have said they give you the reference once you’ve managed to get hold of them. DH spoke to the Future Pensions people first (they seem to answer a bit quicker) and they kindly put him straight through to get his number. I don’t know if that’s standard procedure or if someone felt sorry for him - maybe try that way?

I think @CuriousMariette 's way is the official route. They make it so difficult to do I think for two reasons - to stop people being able to claim their pension entitlement but also to stop people making voluntary contributions which won't benefit them. So you call the Future Pension Centre first and go through your particular situation, and at the end of that if it seems appropriate to make a voluntary contribution, FPC put you through to HMRC who generate the mythical 18 digit reference number.

Calling FPC is incredibly, incredibly frustrating. In my experience you can't even get in a phone queue, you have to go through the menu dozens, maybe hundreds, of times and eventually you might get connected to someone. Otherwise the call just drops and you have to start again.

I've given up for now, I'm waiting for the deadline for 2016-17 to pass, as I need to buy 2017-18 so have longer to do it.

thank you everyone for your replies!. This has clarified things for me. I was very nervous about posting this, as I thought it was a dumb question, and that I couldn't find the answer to something everyone else could see

Absolutely not @Illegally18 , I couldn't believe this process was so arcane and ridiculous when I started looking into it. Like a lot of people following it up, it was the MoneySavingExpert article about it that made me look into it. I don't think it was as clear then as it is now about the fact that there are multiple hoops to jump through on the phone, and I think it could stress this more as it seems so utterly at odds with everything the government digital service is trying to make easy for citizens to do online.

HMRC are on strike until 5th June so you probably won’t be able to contact anyone until then. By which time their phone lines will probably be rammed. It was the same just before they extended the deadline, phone lines just ringing off continuously. I got through and got my 18 digit code by going on to the chatbot service - google Contact HMRC - National Insurance - Ask HMRC online. It will state you are talking to a computer so I asked it to connect me to an advisor, which it did, and the human advisor was able to give me my code in the secure Webchat.

My experience was the same as the pp who said phoning Future Pensions first thing meant you're more likely to get through. I phoned at 8 on the dot and still waited about 20 minutes, but it meant I was at least in the queue and the call did get answered (it took weeks of trying and getting cut off before I managed that).

They then gave me a number for the NI contributions people but stressed I had to tell them I'd spoken to Future Pensions and that FP had advised me to make up the NI payments.

I went round in circles on the phone trying to pay voluntary contributions. In the end, I wrote a cheque and followed the guidance on the website about what info to include and where to send it. Worth keeping a chequebook!
If they're going to be so opaque then I might as well make it more difficult to receive the money 🤷🏻‍♀️

[I am still chasing a complaint I made in June 2021 which hasnt been resolved yet - they've made a right fuck up of some of my historic NICs]

Interesting approach @GymPanda , has the amount been credited to your pension account? I'm sure they had some dire warnings about how long it might take before the system reflects the payment.

At least eight weeks to show apparently. I paid mine 31/3/23 and I made a note check it beginning of June to see if it’s showing as paid yet…. Will check tomorrow

It hasn't cleared my bank account yet (only sent last week) but once it has I don't really care how long it takes to show up. I am only 54 so won't be drawing pension for a while 🤣
Just wanted to pay it now before its cost goes up - I think in July? I know the backlog means they've extended the time limit from April.

I didn’t pay NI for 4 years when I was SAHM. Should I ring them to backdate the payment? I’ve paid into a couple of pension schemes before and after that.

I paid by cheque following their instructions at the beginning of Jan as I hadnt been able to get through. By mid March it still hadn't cleared. I randomly a number quoted on another thread and got through after being on hold for an hour. Apparently my cheque had not been received. I got my 18 digit number and paid online. However, I had to call back and I rang on the dot of 8am and got straight through. I'll check the number.

0300 200 3500 was the number

If you're registered for child benefit, you will have automatically had contributions made on your behalf

@Beachcomber74 forgot to say, you can check online. Go to HMRC and register and you'll see your NI record. Depending on how old you are, you may still have enough time anyway to get a full record.