Can I pay Voluntary NI myself monthly instead of Universal Credit?

So at the moment UC is paying my NI as I am not earning enough at my part time job to be able to pay it myself. But here is the thing, I really want to leave UC as I am getting bad panic attacks just thinking about it but I don't wont gaps in my NI so I was wondering if it is possible for me to pay Voluntary Contributions myself monthly as I am lucky to now (with a lot of saving up) be in a place where I can pay it but I want to know if it something I am allowed to do. I don't even know who I can call or talk to about this so I am hoping that someone here can point me in the right way. Thank you.

Hi Manako,
As you rightly note, you will be getting credits for NI whilst claiming UC which should be added to your NI record at the end of the appropriate tax year for the corresponding number of weeks of your claim.
If you stop claiming UC and do not either take up employment with earnings above the limit to pay NIC or become self-employed and pay your own NIC through Self Assessment or voluntarily, you may have a NIC deficiency at the end of the tax year.
If you are living but not working in UK and wish to pay Voluntary NICs going forward, you may set up a Direct Debit payment plan.
You can find more information about paying voluntary NICs at www.gov.uk, but you may wish to get a Pension Forecast first to make sure that paying voluntarily will benefit your State Pension position.
Voluntary National Insurance
 HMRC would always encourage customers to do this before making any voluntary NIC payments.
 You can check your State Pension position here:
Check your State Pension forecast
Thank you. 

 

Thank you for replying. I am living AND working in the UK but it is only part time and doesn't hit the £242 a week that is needed to pay NI, which was why I wanted to know if I can pay Voluntary NI. (Sounds silly for me to worry about this as I am NO where near State Pension age but I just like to plan ahead). I did try to get State Pension forecast online but it asks for things I don't have so I am sort of stuck on what to do.