UK State Pension - Voluntary Contributions

[euroDilbert]

There are a few posts on claiming UK State Pensions and Voluntary Contributions while living in Ireland.

This article covers a lot of the details. Obviously, it’s aimed at someone living in the UK, but much of it applies to someone based in Ireland

The £800 they mention is for Class3 payments, but most of mine were allowed at Class2 (£158).

Either way, it’s still worth it.

 

[poorrelative]

Very interesting. Coincidentally I was just on the phone to the future pensions folks in Newcastle UK this afternoon. I have been paying class 2 for several years now and my forecast indicates that I will receive full pension at 67 as I will have 35 years of contributions at 65. What I only just found out today is that once I retire (hopefully at 60) I must then pay class 3 (>£800 a year) each year because you need to be working if overseas in order to qualify for class 2. Therefore, if you are eligible to pay back years up to 2006 (which I just did) then do it soon (before April 2023) as this window will close.

 

[Lisgoold]

Very interesting. Coincidentally I was just on the phone to the future pensions folks in Newcastle UK this afternoon. I have been paying class 2 for several years now and my forecast indicates that I will receive full pension at 67 as I will have 35 years of contributions at 65. What I only just found out today is that once I retire (hopefully at 60) I must then pay class 3 (>£800 a year) each year because you need to be working if overseas in order to qualify for class 2. Therefore, if you are eligible to pay back years up to 2006 (which I just did) then do it soon (before April 2023) as this window will close.

Hi,
Just curious. Are you currently living and working in Ireland? Will you have enough PRSI contributions to qualify for any Irish state pension?

 

[poorrelative]

Hi,
Just curious. Are you currently living and working in Ireland? Will you have enough PRSI contributions to qualify for any Irish state pension?

Yes living and working in Ireland in public sector so Irish State pension forms part of my public sector pension once I reach 66

 

[sunnywalk]

Very interesting. Coincidentally I was just on the phone to the future pensions folks in Newcastle UK this afternoon. I have been paying class 2 for several years now and my forecast indicates that I will receive full pension at 67 as I will have 35 years of contributions at 65. What I only just found out today is that once I retire (hopefully at 60) I must then pay class 3 (>£800 a year) each year because you need to be working if overseas in order to qualify for class 2. Therefore, if you are eligible to pay back years up to 2006 (which I just did) then do it soon (before April 2023) as this window will close.

That's very interesting. I left the UK in 2004 and I never even gave this a thought
I have worked continuously in UK right up to leaving( 15 years working I'm uk) and continuously in Ireland up to now..no work breaks. Who did you contact in the uk about this?

 

[poorrelative]

That's very interesting. I left the UK in 2004 and I never even gave this a thought
I have worked continuously in UK right up to leaving( 15 years working I'm uk) and continuously in Ireland up to now..no work breaks. Who did you contact in the uk about this?

Here is a link to the form that you need to fill in. Its called NI38 and is at the very end of this document.

https://assets.publishing.service.g...ds/attachment_data/file/947544/NI38_12_20.pdf

I came across an Irish company that is doing the application for people. It’s a bit of a waste to use them though as all you have to do is fill in the NI38 form and send it in - but here is the link anyway just in case.

https://www.uspfinancial.ie

Most people don’t realise that you can claim the full UK and Irish pensions at the same time if you have made all the necessary contributions.

The rules for the UK pension have changed recently. Previously you only needed 30 years of contributions to receive the full state pension at 65. With the new state pension its £185.15 a week but you need to have 35 years of contributions paid. The other thing is that it doesn’t kick in until you are 67. You can usually pay up to 6 years back that you missed but time is running out for paying back these 6 years - must be done before April 2023 I think

 

[sunnywalk]

Here is a link to the form that you need to fill in. Its called NI38 and is at the very end of this document.

https://assets.publishing.service.g...ds/attachment_data/file/947544/NI38_12_20.pdf

I came across an Irish company that is doing the application for people. It’s a bit of a waste to use them though as all you have to do is fill in the NI38 form and send it in - but here is the link anyway just in case.

https://www.uspfinancial.ie

Most people don’t realise that you can claim the full UK and Irish pensions at the same time if you have made all the necessary contributions.

The rules for the UK pension have changed recently. Previously you only needed 30 years of contributions to receive the full state pension at 65. With the new state pension its £185.15 a week but you need to have 35 years of contributions paid. The other thing is that it doesn’t kick in until you are 67. You can usually pay up to 6 years back that you missed but time is running out for paying back these 6 years - must be done before April 2023 I think

This post prompted me to go and log in to my UK.gov account that I set up years ago with a view to " doing something about it" but of course didn't!.. site hugely improved... I can easily see my missed years and it seems I can " back pay" from 2006 but it seems have to pay 894 a year to do so... ? Or its saying that on the page, I am prob better ringing UK to get confirmation.l..if I can or need to backpack that far

It has my current forecast and a forecast if I start paying from now onwards and a forecast if i backpay ( so clear!) . I HAVE 19 years contributions according to UK gov so I assume if I start paying each year going forward..I only need to back pay a few years to make up 35 years and be eligible for full UK pension?

Thanks so much for posting up ur experience..it has really reminded and inspired me to get this sorted )

 

[poorrelative]

This post prompted me to go and log in to my UK.gov account that I set up years ago with a view to " doing something about it" but of course didn't!.. site hugely improved... I can easily see my missed years and it seems I can " back pay" from 2006 but it seems have to pay 894 a year to do so... ? Or its saying that on the page, I am prob better ringing UK to get confirmation.l..if I can or need to backpack that far

It has my current forecast and a forecast if I start paying from now onwards and a forecast if i backpay ( so clear!) . I HAVE 19 years contributions according to UK gov so I assume if I start paying each year going forward..I only need to back pay a few years to make up 35 years and be eligible for full UK pension?

Thanks so much for posting up ur experience..it has really reminded and inspired me to get this sorted )

Yes that's the class 3 contributions they are quoting you for. If you have been working since you returned to Ireland then I think you should be eligible for the much cheaper class 2 (about 150 pa). When i first applied they tried to quote me for the class 3 as well.

You are better back-paying from 2006 if you a) have been working in Ireland each year and b) have a spare 2.5k (150 x 16 years) and then you are fully paid up (35 years). The class 2 costs could increase (guy at the Newcastle office advised me to backpay as much as I can afford for this reason)....also if you stop working here at any point you have to pay class 3.

 

[Lisgoold]

This post prompted me to go and log in to my UK.gov account that I set up years ago with a view to " doing something about it" but of course didn't!.. site hugely improved... I can easily see my missed years and it seems I can " back pay" from 2006 but it seems have to pay 894 a year to do so... ? Or its saying that on the page, I am prob better ringing UK to get confirmation.l..if I can or need to backpack that far

It has my current forecast and a forecast if I start paying from now onwards and a forecast if i backpay ( so clear!) . I HAVE 19 years contributions according to UK gov so I assume if I start paying each year going forward..I only need to back pay a few years to make up 35 years and be eligible for full UK pension?

Thanks so much for posting up ur experience..it has really reminded and inspired me to get this sorted )

It's a pity there isn't an equivalent site in Ireland, that would show a forecast based on PRSI contributions.

 

[sunnywalk]

It's a pity there isn't an equivalent site in Ireland, that would show a forecast based on PRSI contributions.

I was actually going to ask this very question this morning. Where can I see irish forecast ..you have answered that.
It actually is a pity as now I have seen my UK situation, I now know what I need to do to rectify it..
I am in the dark about my Irish situation. My other half checked their uk record today and they have 7 years of uk contributions so not meeting the 10 year requirement, can this be rectified ? Or is there best option to add the 7 years to their irish record to maximise their contributions over the years?

 

[sunnywalk]

Yes that's the class 3 contributions they are quoting you for. If you have been working since you returned to Ireland then I think you should be eligible for the much cheaper class 2 (about 150 pa). When i first applied they tried to quote me for the class 3 as well.

You are better back-paying from 2006 if you a) have been working in Ireland each year and b) have a spare 2.5k (150 x 16 years) and then you are fully paid up (35 years). The class 2 costs could increase (guy at the Newcastle office advised me to backpay as much as I can afford for this reason)....also if you stop working here at any point you have to pay class 3.

Yes. Have worked nonstop except for a few bouts of illness. OK I might call uk office and see if I can get reduced backpay. Thank you so much for your help with this. It has been hugely informative

 

[NoRegretsCoyote]

Where can I see irish forecast ..you have answered t

As far as I know you can't. DSP will give you your contributions history and you have to work it out yourself.

If you post your contributions history here on AAM someone will help you to work out what you are likely to be entitled for.

 

[poorrelative]

I was actually going to ask this very question this morning. Where can I see irish forecast ..you have answered that.
It actually is a pity as now I have seen my UK situation, I now know what I need to do to rectify it..
I am in the dark about my Irish situation. My other half checked their uk record today and they have 7 years of uk contributions so not meeting the 10 year requirement, can this be rectified ? Or is there best option to add the 7 years to their irish record to maximise their contributions over the years?

only 3 years needed not 10 years - your OH can backpay 17 years to 2006 and then they only need another 11 from now for fun UK pension

 

[sunnywalk]

only 3 years needed not 10 years - your OH can backpay 17 years to 2006 and then they only need another 11 from now for fun UK pension

Really? I don't know where I got 10 years from.. that's great news we will look at that and see if we can do that.

 

[sunnywalk]

Hi I am filling in the NI38 form to backpay uk state pension. It is asking for a uk address. We don't have an address in uk, do we just put our last address where we lived? We both have family in uk too.. could we use their address ( with their permission of course)

Thank you

 

[jfrank]

Really? I don't know where I got 10 years from.. that's great news we will look at that and see if we can do that.

You actually do need a minimum of "10 qualifying years" on your NI record to be eligible for any UK state pension but the significance of having 3 qualifying years is that 3 years is the minimum requirement to be eligible to pay voluntary contributions.... either Class 2 or Class 3.... and then you can pay for the 7 years to reach a total of 10. 10 q/years is worth £47.28pw currently in state pension terms.