Paying Voluntary UK National Insurance Contributions when Abroad (CF83)

[Eddie45]

I have been looking at Paying Voluntary National Insurance Contributions when Abroad. You can only pay Class 2 if you are working/worked abroad during the period you are applying to pay and you must have worked immediately in the UK before you. There is no information on the government website about what documentation you need to submit to prove this. Has anyone done this or in the process of doing it, if so what information are they looking for.

[Martin71]

It can be done I did it for about 9 years while I was over here...it was easy to set up.. direct debit from UK bank... I have forgotten the actual procedure.. but I do remember it was quite painless, I am not sure I told them I was out of the country.. (I did it from UK bank registered with a UK address)... 100% recommend it so you get your full state pension.. if I remember any more details I will post them... hope this helps 

[chickenslegs]

When I realised that I was 4 years short of my full pension contributions, I called DWP and asked if I was eligible for Class 2 AVCs, due to voluntary work in Thailand - No! I had to pay Class 3.

 

I can't remember the different rates at the time, but right now Class 2 is 3.45 GBP per week and Class 3 is 17.45 GBP per week. Big difference, but still a good investment (IMO)

 

I seem to recall that members @Neeranam and @simon43 have been able to pay Class 2 AVCs. Maybe they will answer your question.

[Eddie45]

Just now, Martin71 said:

It can be done I did it for about 9 years while I was over here...it was easy to set up.. direct debit from UK bank... I have forgotten the actual procedure.. but I do remember it was quite painless, I am not sure I told them I was out of the country.. (I did it from UK bank registered with a UK address)... 100% recommend it so you get your full state pension.. if I remember any more details I will post them... hope this helps 

Martin, you couldnt have told them you were abroad because liked chicken legs just said you would have had to show you were working abroad or you would have had to pay class 3 which is £907.00 for every year instead of £179.40 for class 2.

[Martin71]

Like I said not 100% sure of procedure.. but as I did it all by direct debit from Lloyds bank account registered to UK address you may be right ...when you mentioned form CF83 it did not ring any bells with me... so yep.. I probably didn't tell them... 

[Eddie45]

I just read you original post again and you paid it by direct debit while in Thailand rather than paying 9 years in 1 go. 

[Eddie45]

If you paid it all in 1 go it would have been easier to remember what class you paid as paying 9 years of Class 2 is £1,614.60 at today rate and Class 3 would be £8,163.00.

[Martin71]

Yep.. definitely  class 2.. think between about 10 - 12 quid a month.. also paid for a couple of missing years to get me to the 37 years.. but the difference it made to my pension forecast from the .gov.uk website was huge...when I get to 67 I will get the max amount (what ever it is then).. if you can do it, if you can find a way do it 100%.. the money you will pay out will be peanuts compared to what you get back from your pension if you live a good few years from your pension age...

[nglodnig]

Well it's been a while (like ten years I think) but I paid all my voluntary contributions (class 2 I think it was a no-brainer 104 pounds a year) and got a full state pension last year. I had paid in approx 20 years in the UK (which included time as a student) and paid in ten years while I was working abroad until the DWP told me to stop as I had thirty years contributions which was enough.

 I think the Class II stuff payment went up - it's not 104 quid anymore (those were the days!). There is a limit on how far back you can go in terms of years to pay off I think. Sorry to be so vague but it worked for me. You need to call them and get a statement but I think there is a website where you find out where you stand. Google is your friend. Not too sure where the 37 years comes from - I was told thirty years is enough. And it was (for me) but of course maybe the rules have changed,

 

Anyway get a statement off the DWP. I don't think you can go back nine years - the figure five years springs to mind.

 

Anyway on a personal note I first starting paying voluntary contributions back in the eighties (while I was working in the Arabian Gulf)  when I had an amazing attack of future planning and thought hey I might be in my twenties now but in forty years time I might need this so I had better send 104 quid a year (this was 1980-something).  I went back to the UK and continued paying FULL contributions for 15 years until I moved abroad again and continued this incredible (for me) sensible thing until told to stop like I said.

 

Good luck.

[RayC]

13 hours ago, Eddie45 said:

I have been looking at Paying Voluntary National Insurance Contributions when Abroad. You can only pay Class 2 if you are working/worked abroad during the period you are applying to pay and you must have worked immediately in the UK before you. There is no information on the government website about what documentation you need to submit to prove this. Has anyone done this or in the process of doing it, if so what information are they looking for.

 

This link outlines the process and what documentation you need

 

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-to-pay-voluntary-national-insurance-contributions-when-abroad-cf83

[Eddie45]

Rayc, I have read the above link but it doesnt tell you what information you need to submit to prove you have been working abroad.

[RayC]

12 hours ago, Eddie45 said:

Rayc, I have read the above link but it doesnt tell you what information you need to submit to prove you have been working abroad.

 

You do not need to submit any documentation to prove that you have been working abroad at this stage. Your first step is simply to submit the application form (CF83).

 

You can either do this on line or by post. The section entitled 'What you’ll need' tells you, well, what you need in order to complete the form.

 

If the DWP require any additional information/ documentation they will let you know.

[Eddie45]

RayC, Thanks for the information.