UK state pension

For various reasons including living and working in other (non UK) countries over the years I reckon I'll be 150 or so contributions short by the time I reach 66. Is there a way I can make extra / voluntary contributions over the next few years in the run up to retirement so that by the time I do get to 66 in 2035 I have the full compliment of 2,080 contributions made to fully qualify for the Contributory State Pension?

@mods: If this isn't appropriate for this thread (seems to correlate strongly with the main subject) and it should be in a thread of its own please feel free to move.

Are you working in Ireland at the moment paying the full 52 weeks contributions? If so you can't add any more to it. But have you looked at voluntary contributions when you were working outside of Ireland. This depends on the country that you worked in and how long ago it was and other variables like having at least 520 contributions in order to pay voluntary ones.

Have to added times that you would have received credited contributions eg out on sick leave, job seeking into your calculations. Could there have been a year when you were looking after kids and could apply for the homemakers scheme.

No problem. Yes definitely contact them and ask there is no harm and there might be something available.

There is also where you can work for longer up until you are 68 or so, now I haven't looked at the details but that way could get you over the threshold. 👍

Also if you have any properties rented or even investments and don't work like me you can pay S contributions which cover you for the pension. So you don't technically have to be "working" .

Just on this Class2 /Class 3 cock up. I received my letter with payments referring to Class 3 only. I ignored it at that time as I think they were looking at almost a €1000pa for each individual back year payment.

Should I just now ring the UK and tell them that it is the Class 2 I should be paying and seek figures under that class as opposed to the higher rate?

Thanks lads.

SCAM!!!!!!!

Mygov is the irish version nothing to do with hmrc. Just a coincidence you got it. That's how people get caught out.

Don't click the link for God sake

Yes, if your letter says Class 3 then this means that you haven't been approved for Class 2. You should ring them as you'll need to appeal the decision if you believe you're entitled to Class 2.

You need to prove that you are in fact entitled to pay the Class 2. Class 3 is the default and like everything in life, you need to fight for what you feel you are entitled to. If you sent the cf83 form with all the information they asked, did they still come back with class 3. Did you say you left the UK immediately after finishing working there and started a job in another country. Did you send proof of those jobs, dates addresses where you worked. If you didn't then send a cover letter to say you feel you are entitled to pay class 2 as you meet the 2 x criteria for class 2 payments.

Thought it didn't look right, just a coincidence i just made a payment.

Yeah definitely, happened with me as well. Got the yeah you can pay class 3, but I sent another cover letter stating that I am entitled to pay class 2 and sent a few photocopies of Revenue documents. Then I got approved for class 2. It's a huge difference in price so well worth the hassle of writing cover letter and sending proof. Get it in before April 👍👍👍

Ring them, but I definitely recommend sending written correspondence.

Will definitely do it this weekend. I've got my P60s etc so I'll get the letter off asap. Do you happen to know what address I should send it to or is it just the generic one where everything is addressed to?

Thanks.

Does anyone know how you could find out your national insurance number if you worked in the North but have always been resident in the Republic?

Tried registering online with hmrc but eventually come to a question that can't be answered. Either looking for my NI number, which don't have a record of, or else asking what years I worked in certain jobs, and can't remember that exactly.

Have also been asked for a postcode where I was resident, but that never applied.

Yeah , was thinking that. Will give it a go, cheers.

She told me the same thing - as long as the application was in you can still claim back to 2006 after April or that's what I took it to mean

I sent mine to this address. Make sure you put your National insurance number or any reference number you received previously.

PT Operations North East England

HM Revenue and Customs

BX9 1AN

United Kingdom

I'll checked my notes and found two numbers, but can't be sure if either of them is correct:
+44 191 218 3600
+44 191 203 7010

I'll dig though my notes tomorrow and see if I can find a better answer. (It's possible the number has changed in the meantime too, I suppose.)