Paying National Insurance from Thailand

[Barnet]

Good morning,

 

I would like to see if it is possible to bring my N.I payments up to date and if it is possible to continue doing so and be eligible for a pension when the dreaded day arrives.  I have looked online but can't see where this is stipulated. 

 

Any help would be appreciated.  

 

Thank you

[dabhand]

This might help.

https://www.gov.uk/voluntary-national-insurance-contributions/who-can-pay-voluntary-contributions

 

There are also a number of threads on TVF related to this subject. Not easily found on the site search option but a google search with 'thaivisa' in the description should lead you somewhere useful.

https://www.google.com/search?q=uk+NI+payments+thaivisa&rlz=1C1CAFB_enTH801TH815&oq=uk+NI+payments+thaivisa&aqs=chrome..69i57j69i64.8991j0j15&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

[Eff1n2ret]

Perhaps you should start here:-

 

Voluntary National Insurance - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

 

I did make some voluntary payments to top my missis' s record a few years back. I can't remember the exact procedure, but it wasn't too difficult.

Replied while dabhand was posting. I think we're on the same page

Edited June 29, 2021 by Eff1n2ret

[topt]

I started this process a few years ago. The biggest issue for me was that there was no point adding years prior to 2016 as they changed the qualifying criteria. In my case (and many others) adding money for prior years bought no additional payment.

 

The OP will need to have (or should have) a discussion with the pension advisory service about his specifics which will depend on how many years he already has, how many years theoretically left to pension age, whether he has worked abroad (allows cheaper contributions) etc etc. 

When I spoke to them they arranged for an adviser to call me back in Thailand but not sure if that still happens.

 

I had to complete CF83 and post to them (pre covid) as I only wanted to pay lump sums. I think you can also pay by DD.

https://www.gov.uk/voluntary-national-insurance-contributions/deadlines

 

I now just pay by bank transfer once a year after they eventually add the previous year as incomplete on the online record of NI payments. So this year paid half way through May for 2020/21 tax year.

[Barnet]

Many thanks to all.

 

[GarryP]

On 7/1/2021 at 3:35 PM, topt said:

I started this process a few years ago. The biggest issue for me was that there was no point adding years prior to 2016 as they changed the qualifying criteria. In my case (and many others) adding money for prior years bought no additional payment.

 

The OP will need to have (or should have) a discussion with the pension advisory service about his specifics which will depend on how many years he already has, how many years theoretically left to pension age, whether he has worked abroad (allows cheaper contributions) etc etc. 

When I spoke to them they arranged for an adviser to call me back in Thailand but not sure if that still happens.

 

I had to complete CF83 and post to them (pre covid) as I only wanted to pay lump sums. I think you can also pay by DD.

https://www.gov.uk/voluntary-national-insurance-contributions/deadlines

 

I now just pay by bank transfer once a year after they eventually add the previous year as incomplete on the online record of NI payments. So this year paid half way through May for 2020/21 tax year.

I submitted the CF83 form 2 months ago and still not heard back from them. When I actually requested my NI number (I had forgotten mine), it took them 7 weeks to get back to me. 

[topt]

30 minutes ago, GarryP said:

I submitted the CF83 form 2 months ago and still not heard back from them. When I actually requested my NI number (I had forgotten mine), it took them 7 weeks to get back to me. 

Unfortunately that does not surprise me. Service levels seem to have taken a dive since Covid - I wonder if it has anything to do with working from home..........

They even stated to me last year, after I queried it, that payments could take up to 13 weeks to be applied to your account. Mine took 14 weeks.......

 

Strikes on the postal side don't help either.

[GarryP]

26 minutes ago, topt said:

Unfortunately that does not surprise me. Service levels seem to have taken a dive since Covid - I wonder if it has anything to do with working from home..........

They even stated to me last year, after I queried it, that payments could take up to 13 weeks to be applied to your account. Mine took 14 weeks.......

 

Strikes on the postal side don't help either.

Just rechecked the www.gov.uk website and it says they have extended the usual deadline of 5 April for voluntary contributions (for 2016-17) to 31 July this year so I should be okay. I'll give them another week or so and then follow up. 

[BritManToo]

36 minutes ago, topt said:

Unfortunately that does not surprise me. Service levels seem to have taken a dive since Covid - I wonder if it has anything to do with working from home..........

They even stated to me last year, after I queried it, that payments could take up to 13 weeks to be applied to your account. Mine took 14 weeks.......

 

Strikes on the postal side don't help either.

But if you're close to state pension age you can phone then 20 days after payment and they will update manually. 

[Chomper Higgot]

On 7/1/2021 at 3:35 PM, topt said:

I started this process a few years ago. The biggest issue for me was that there was no point adding years prior to 2016 as they changed the qualifying criteria. In my case (and many others) adding money for prior years bought no additional payment.

 

The OP will need to have (or should have) a discussion with the pension advisory service about his specifics which will depend on how many years he already has, how many years theoretically left to pension age, whether he has worked abroad (allows cheaper contributions) etc etc. 

When I spoke to them they arranged for an adviser to call me back in Thailand but not sure if that still happens.

 

I had to complete CF83 and post to them (pre covid) as I only wanted to pay lump sums. I think you can also pay by DD.

https://www.gov.uk/voluntary-national-insurance-contributions/deadlines

 

I now just pay by bank transfer once a year after they eventually add the previous year as incomplete on the online record of NI payments. So this year paid half way through May for 2020/21 tax year.

A cautionary note.

 

Anyone who has been a member of a company or private pension that was ‘Contracted Out’ may be online for a reduced pension under the ‘Contracted Out Equivalent’ rules.

 

In which case paying missing years NI contributions over and above the 35 year minimum will reduce the COE bringing you back towards full state pension.

[topt]

1 hour ago, Chomper Higgot said:

In which case paying missing years NI contributions over and above the 35 year minimum will reduce the COE bringing you back towards full state pension.

Agreed which is what I am having to do.

However for me there was no point paying missing years prior to 2016, even though some were much cheaper to fill, as they would not have given me any increased benefit.

[Neeranam]

I looked into this around 2001 and they said I would have to pay class 1 contributions so I didn't do it. 

 

I asked again in 2015 and they said I could do the class 2, so I paid back 10 years at once, which was 66,000 baht. I've been paying every years since, around 6,000 baht. 

 

So glad I checked again as I will get a full pension, despite only working in the Uk for 4 years. 

[chickenslegs]

1 hour ago, Neeranam said:

I looked into this around 2001 and they said I would have to pay class 1 contributions so I didn't do it. 

 

I asked again in 2015 and they said I could do the class 2, so I paid back 10 years at once, which was 66,000 baht. I've been paying every years since, around 6,000 baht. 

 

So glad I checked again as I will get a full pension, despite only working in the Uk for 4 years. 

That is an absolute bargain.

If self employed or working outside the UK one can pay class 2 contributions which are about a quarter of the cost of class 3. Seems unfair to those who worked 30 years+ in the UK and have to pay Class 3 for any missing years, just because they retired abroad - but them's the rules.

Edited March 24, 2023 by chickenslegs

[Neeranam]

11 hours ago, chickenslegs said:

That is an absolute bargain.

If self employed or working outside the UK one can pay class 2 contributions which are about a quarter of the cost of class 3. Seems unfair to those who worked 30 years+ in the UK and have to pay Class 3 for any missing years, just because they retired abroad - but them's the rules.

I feel very lucky.

[simon43]

On 3/24/2023 at 11:57 PM, Neeranam said:

I looked into this around 2001 and they said I would have to pay class 1 contributions so I didn't do it. 

 

I asked again in 2015 and they said I could do the class 2, so I paid back 10 years at once, which was 66,000 baht. I've been paying every years since, around 6,000 baht. 

 

So glad I checked again as I will get a full pension, despite only working in the Uk for 4 years. 

Same here.  I topped up a couple of years ago at Class 2, despite having left the UK 21 years ago ???? I was able to top up for about 13 years or so, bringing my pension years to about 30 years.

[sidneybear]

On 3/26/2023 at 11:02 PM, simon43 said:

Same here.  I topped up a couple of years ago at Class 2, despite having left the UK 21 years ago ???? I was able to top up for about 13 years or so, bringing my pension years to about 30 years.

Seems the rules might have changed. I started paying in 2012, but could only pay six years back at that time. I've been paying class 3 ever since, and worked a few years in the UK prior to emigrating. I'll get 32/35ths of a full pension at 67 years old, so I might give them a call to see if it's possible to top up the missing 3 years.

[lamyai3]

9 hours ago, sidneybear said:

Seems the rules might have changed. I started paying in 2012, but could only pay six years back at that time. I've been paying class 3 ever since, and worked a few years in the UK prior to emigrating. I'll get 32/35ths of a full pension at 67 years old, so I might give them a call to see if it's possible to top up the missing 3 years.

Rules changed in 2016, when that happened they allowed people to pay the previous 10 years from 2006 any time before April 2023 (now been extended to July).

 

In your case it looks like you already funded those years, but certainly worth ringing them to check. 

[GarryP]

14 hours ago, lamyai3 said:

Rules changed in 2016, when that happened they allowed people to pay the previous 10 years from 2006 any time before April 2023 (now been extended to July).

 

In your case it looks like you already funded those years, but certainly worth ringing them to check. 

I'm gonna have to give them a call. Submitted my application to back pay in early January and still not heard back from them. Luckily there has been the extension you mentioned.