Voluntary contribution

Please could you tell me how long it takes to update a National insurance record in respect of payment of voluntary contributions. I paid mine 12 weeks ago and was told it would take 8 weeks but nothing has changed on my record. Thank you

Hi Thecakeshelf,

There has been a spike of voluntary contributions received and the timescale for payments to be allocated was 8-10 weeks at its peak.  
If you are still waiting for payment to be allocated beyond this timescale then they can call our NI Helpline and an advisor can get the money allocated while on the call.

Thank you.
 

I posted a similar question below without any reply being received. I paid mine at the end of April, over 4 months ago. As it is near impossible to get through on the phone to the helpline I guess that's why many of us are asking the questions on here. It took long enough to get the 18 digit number to pay in the first place, that was a feat in itself, but now the money is not being allocated.

I have a similar question. Since my application to pay voluntary class 2 contributions was accepted I've paid 7 years' worth to top up gaps in my NI record. The first payment was made in January 2024 but still nothing has shown up on my on-line NI record (it's now August, ie 7 months have passed). How long does it take for payments to show up, and how to make sure the payments get allocated to the right years? (I'd like first to top up the years that have an April 2025 cut-off deadline). Thank you

Hi Kathleen,
Sorry that your payment of voluntary National Insurance contributions has not been allocated to your Personal Tax Account yet.  It can take up to 8 weeks from making your payment to it being recorded on your Personal Tax Account so may I ask that you call our National Insurance Helpline on 0300 200 3500 (from the UK) or +44 191 2037010 (from overseas) and they will be able to make sure that we have received your payment and arrange for it to be allocated.  Please have details of your payment handy when you call just in case they are needed.
Thank you.

Hello, four more months have passed and still none of my 12 voluntary NI contributions have been allocated to my Personal Tax Account. It's now been almost a year since I paid the first one (January 2024). Getting through on the phone to the helpline several times has not resolved anything. Please help! Thank you, Kathleen Moore

Hi, I have just started to look into paying voluntary contributions for missing years whilst I was abroad. Can anyone confirm what I have understood? See below. Thank you. I am not eligible to pay missing contributions for any year if I was already living abroad years before that. Example - I want to pay for 2006 but was already living abroad in 2000. Does this mean I am not eligible to top up 2006 as I wasn't working in the UK immediately prior to 2006? ( I have total 14 years contributions in the and living and working in UK as of 2024). Any information would be helpful. Thank you.

Hi Diana,
It is possible to pay voluntary National Insurance contributions from the 2006-2007 to the 2023-2024 tax years.  
Payment for the 2006-2007 to 2018-2019 tax years must be received by 5 April 2025 otherwise it will be no longer possible to pay for these tax years.
If you would like to pay voluntary National Insurance contributions from overseas then please first read our leaflet NI38 ‘Social Security Abroad’.  
If, once you’ve read the leaflet, you wish to pay voluntary contributions then please complete and return the CF83 application form.  
The NI38 and CF83 may be found via Social Security abroad: NI38
Providing that we receive your CF83 application form before 5 April 2025 then we will extend the time limits for you to make any payments of voluntary
contributions that you may wish to make.
Thank you.

Hi Kathleen,
Sorry for the problems that you have experienced about your payment of voluntary National Insurance contributions.  
There is a delay in allocating payments of voluntary National Insurance contributions but certainly your first payment made in January 2024 should have been dealt with by now.  
May I ask that you call our National Insurance Helpline again on 0300 200 3500 (from the UK) or +44 191 203 7010 (from overseas) and they will be able to arrange for your
payment to be allocated.  
If you are close to or over UK State Pension Age please mention this on your call to the Helpline and have your payment details handy just in case they need some information.
The other option is to send us a letter to detail how your payment should be allocated to your National Insurance account.  
Our postal address is:  
PT Operations North East England,
HM Revenue & Customs,
BX9 1AN,
United Kingdom.
Thank you.







 

Hi I was planning to make Voluntary Contributions to fill in NI gap for one year. Even though deadline is today, I see the webpages have already been updated to not accept payments anymore. This will affect all who planned to contribute today. Can you please extend the payment deadline so I do not miss out ? Regards Savita

Hi Savita Das
If you would like to pay voluntary National Insurance contributions then please call our National Insurance Helpline on 0300 200 3500 and explain about the problems that you have experienced with our website when trying to make payment. 
Full contact details at: National Insurance: general enquiries 
They will be able to help you further.
Please see guidance at: Voluntary National Insurance: How and when to pay.
You can also find out information, along with progress of your form/letter/request along with your National Insurance at: 
• your personal tax account 
• the official HMRC app
Thank you.