Summary
If you lived in the UK for at least three years and worked there for at least some of this time.
You can make backdated contributions of National Insurance for up to 18 years which will cost you either £163 for each year purchased or £824 for each year purchased.
The UK state pension is £185 a week or £9,620 a year - and increases every year.
Each year purchased entitles you to an extra 1/35th of the UK State pension or an extra £185 a year.
Yes, that is right. For a once off payment of £163 or £824 now, you could get an extra £185 every year after retirement.
And you can continue making contributions up to retirement age.
This is separate from any entitlement you have to an Irish pension.
But from July of this year, you will only be able to go back 6 years, so if this applies to you, apply for it immediately.
Update: now extended to April 2025, but you should still apply immediately.
To whom does this post apply?
If you have worked in the UK for at least 3 years and paid National Insurance at any time in the past; then moved / returned to Ireland. This applies to you.
It does not apply to you if...
You have never worked in the UK / paid national insurance.
What age do I have to be?
Not age limited. You can make the additional payments at any age as long as you qualify.
What is the benefit of making voluntary contributions?
Entitlement to up to 100% of UK State Pension when you retire, in addition to whatever Irish State Pension or private pension that you might have.
The exact % you get will depend on the number of years of coverage you have.
Tax is payable in Ireland on all income in the usual way.
What is the downside?
Struggling to find one. It might be a bit of a faff to get started, but set aside an hour on a Sunday afternoon & get it done.
If you qualify, do everything you can to make the contributions, if you don't you'd be leaving money on the table.
How do I go about it in practice?
First register online, ideally using your biometric passport & a smart phone. If you don't have a biometric passport, there are other ways around it; but the passport is by far and away the easiest option.
You will need your National Insurance number, search your old paperwork. If you still can’t find it go here: https://www.gov.uk/lost-national-insurance-number
Start here to get your Gateway ID: https://www.gov.uk/check-national-insurance-record
Click on ‘Start now’ and then under ‘New users of Government Gateway’, click on ‘Create Sign in Details. You might find it easier to do this on a laptop/PC make sure you have your phone and passport handy as well.
Once you’ve registered you can check your NI record and see what gaps you have and how to make payments.
How many years can I go back?
Right now you can make backdated contributions as far back as 2006 i.e. 18 years but from July 2023, you will be only able to make a maximum of 6 years' backdated contributions.
UPDATE: Deadline extended to April 2025
What’s the urgency?
The opportunity to make backdated voluntary contributions will close this year. After the deadline you can only go back 6 years. The orginal deadline was April 2023, it was extended to July 2023. But don’t put this off, life has a habit of pushing things out of our minds, do it now!
Having backdated the contributions, do I continue making them from now on?
Yes, until you have a total of 35 years' contributions which will give you the maximum pension.
How much does it cost to make a voluntary contribution?
Most common is either Class 2 or Class 3 contributions: Class 2 will be cheaper, but even if you are assessed as Class 3 it's still worth doing.
Class 2 Annually: £163.80 (GBP) - £3.15 per week
Class 3 Annually: £824.20 (GBP) - £15.85 per week
Which will I pay: Class 2 or Class 3?
Applied before and was rejected?
Between November 2017 and April 2019, HMRC’s guidance was incorrect. It said all these conditions must be true. If you did not apply or your application was refused because of the incorrect guidance, you may be able to pay at the original rates. Include a cover letter explaining your situation with form CF83.
How long do you have to contribute for to qualify for the maximum pension?
If you have 35 years contributions you get 100%. Less than 35 yrs and you'll still get a payment but not 100%. Even 10 years of contributions gives you around €60 a week at the current rate.
Each qualifying year gives 1/35th of the full amount or £185/35 = £5.29
These are examples.
To work out your entitlement you multiply £5.29 x Number of years Contributions.
So 12 years contributions would be £5.29 x 12 = £63.78 or just shy of €73 per week.
How much is the UK pension at present?
£185 (GBP) per week.
Do I get more if I am married?
I can't see any additional payment listed for a dependent spouse.
Having said that, if both partners worked in UK etc., then both can pay the voluntary contributions and both can claim at age 67.
Does my spouse get it after I die?
Believe the answer is no, unless you claimed your UK state pension prior to 2016 which is when the UK rules changed.
www.gov.uk
(there's a lot of detail there)
Other useful things to know
Claiming your pension
UK state pension pays out at age 67. Its not automatic, you have to submit your claim to get your payment
Making payments
I have used bank transfers in the past, making my best estimate for a Euro to GBP conversion. I’ve overpaid a very small amount just to be on the safe side. Others have used Revolut successfully and I think I’ll try that myself. Unfortunately you can't use DD from an Irish Bank. Wise (previously TransferWise) has also been recommended.
Reminders:
Once you are in the system, you will get a reminder every year to pay your NI
Tip:
Keep a paper record of everything in a separate folder, particularly if you are a few decades away from retirement. Stuff goes missing with house moves / decoration etc.,
Worked example from Brendan
I left college in 2003
I worked for 5 years in the UK from 2003 to 2008
I have been working in Ireland for the last 15 years.
I am now 43 years old
I qualify for Class 2
I will pay £163 a year
I can go back 15 years, so it will cost me £2,500
I will then have 20 years contributions.
I pay £163 a year from now on for the next 15 years, so it will cost me another £2,500
So total cost to me is £5,000
Then from age 67, I will be entitled to a full UK state pension £185 x 52 = £9,620 per year.
If you lived in the UK for at least three years and worked there for at least some of this time.
You can make backdated contributions of National Insurance for up to 18 years which will cost you either £163 for each year purchased or £824 for each year purchased.
The UK state pension is £185 a week or £9,620 a year - and increases every year.
Each year purchased entitles you to an extra 1/35th of the UK State pension or an extra £185 a year.
Yes, that is right. For a once off payment of £163 or £824 now, you could get an extra £185 every year after retirement.
And you can continue making contributions up to retirement age.
This is separate from any entitlement you have to an Irish pension.
But from July of this year, you will only be able to go back 6 years, so if this applies to you, apply for it immediately.
Update: now extended to April 2025, but you should still apply immediately.
| If you are eligible, this is probably the best pension investment you can make, make it a priority to check it out. |
To whom does this post apply?
If you have worked in the UK for at least 3 years and paid National Insurance at any time in the past; then moved / returned to Ireland. This applies to you.
It does not apply to you if...
You have never worked in the UK / paid national insurance.
What age do I have to be?
Not age limited. You can make the additional payments at any age as long as you qualify.
What is the benefit of making voluntary contributions?
Entitlement to up to 100% of UK State Pension when you retire, in addition to whatever Irish State Pension or private pension that you might have.
The exact % you get will depend on the number of years of coverage you have.
Tax is payable in Ireland on all income in the usual way.
What is the downside?
Struggling to find one. It might be a bit of a faff to get started, but set aside an hour on a Sunday afternoon & get it done.
If you qualify, do everything you can to make the contributions, if you don't you'd be leaving money on the table.
How do I go about it in practice?
First register online, ideally using your biometric passport & a smart phone. If you don't have a biometric passport, there are other ways around it; but the passport is by far and away the easiest option.
You will need your National Insurance number, search your old paperwork. If you still can’t find it go here: https://www.gov.uk/lost-national-insurance-number
Start here to get your Gateway ID: https://www.gov.uk/check-national-insurance-record
Click on ‘Start now’ and then under ‘New users of Government Gateway’, click on ‘Create Sign in Details. You might find it easier to do this on a laptop/PC make sure you have your phone and passport handy as well.
Once you’ve registered you can check your NI record and see what gaps you have and how to make payments.
How many years can I go back?
Right now you can make backdated contributions as far back as 2006 i.e. 18 years but from July 2023, you will be only able to make a maximum of 6 years' backdated contributions.
UPDATE: Deadline extended to April 2025
What’s the urgency?
The opportunity to make backdated voluntary contributions will close this year. After the deadline you can only go back 6 years. The orginal deadline was April 2023, it was extended to July 2023. But don’t put this off, life has a habit of pushing things out of our minds, do it now!
Having backdated the contributions, do I continue making them from now on?
Yes, until you have a total of 35 years' contributions which will give you the maximum pension.
How much does it cost to make a voluntary contribution?
Most common is either Class 2 or Class 3 contributions: Class 2 will be cheaper, but even if you are assessed as Class 3 it's still worth doing.
Class 2 Annually: £163.80 (GBP) - £3.15 per week
Class 3 Annually: £824.20 (GBP) - £15.85 per week
Which will I pay: Class 2 or Class 3?
| Living and working abroad | Class 2 - but only if you worked in the UK immediately before leaving, and you’ve previously lived in the UK for at least 3 years in a row or paid at least 3 years of contributions |
| Living abroad but not working | Class 3 - but only if at some point you’ve lived in the UK for at least 3 years in a row or paid at least 3 years of contributions |
Applied before and was rejected?
Between November 2017 and April 2019, HMRC’s guidance was incorrect. It said all these conditions must be true. If you did not apply or your application was refused because of the incorrect guidance, you may be able to pay at the original rates. Include a cover letter explaining your situation with form CF83.
How long do you have to contribute for to qualify for the maximum pension?
If you have 35 years contributions you get 100%. Less than 35 yrs and you'll still get a payment but not 100%. Even 10 years of contributions gives you around €60 a week at the current rate.
Each qualifying year gives 1/35th of the full amount or £185/35 = £5.29
| No. of Years contributions | Weekly pension available |
| 35 years | £185 |
| 25 years | £132 |
| 15 years | £79 |
| 10 years | £53 |
These are examples.
To work out your entitlement you multiply £5.29 x Number of years Contributions.
So 12 years contributions would be £5.29 x 12 = £63.78 or just shy of €73 per week.
How much is the UK pension at present?
£185 (GBP) per week.
Do I get more if I am married?
I can't see any additional payment listed for a dependent spouse.
Having said that, if both partners worked in UK etc., then both can pay the voluntary contributions and both can claim at age 67.
Does my spouse get it after I die?
Believe the answer is no, unless you claimed your UK state pension prior to 2016 which is when the UK rules changed.
The new State Pension
How to get and claim your State Pension, State Pension age - for men born on or after 6 April 1951 and women born on or after 6 April 1953.
Other useful things to know
Claiming your pension
UK state pension pays out at age 67. Its not automatic, you have to submit your claim to get your payment
Making payments
I have used bank transfers in the past, making my best estimate for a Euro to GBP conversion. I’ve overpaid a very small amount just to be on the safe side. Others have used Revolut successfully and I think I’ll try that myself. Unfortunately you can't use DD from an Irish Bank. Wise (previously TransferWise) has also been recommended.
Reminders:
Once you are in the system, you will get a reminder every year to pay your NI
Tip:
Keep a paper record of everything in a separate folder, particularly if you are a few decades away from retirement. Stuff goes missing with house moves / decoration etc.,
Worked example from Brendan
I left college in 2003
I worked for 5 years in the UK from 2003 to 2008
I have been working in Ireland for the last 15 years.
I am now 43 years old
I qualify for Class 2
I will pay £163 a year
I can go back 15 years, so it will cost me £2,500
I will then have 20 years contributions.
I pay £163 a year from now on for the next 15 years, so it will cost me another £2,500
So total cost to me is £5,000
Then from age 67, I will be entitled to a full UK state pension £185 x 52 = £9,620 per year.
Last edited:
