Don't understand my state pension forecast

I have 40 years full national insurance contributions and retired in 2018 aged 55 taking my company pension. On checking my State Pension Forecast it seems to have contradicting info that I don't understand. The headline says "Your forecast is £203.85 a week, £886.38 a month, £10,636.60 a year" but then underneath it says "You need to continue to contribute National Insurance to reach your forecast. Estimate based on your National Insurance record up to 5 April 2022 £175.51 a week" But as I'm already retired I'm no longer paying National Insurance, and I already have 40 years full NI contributions, and I thought that you only need 35 years to get the full State Pension? I have tried phoning the helpline but get cut off each time. Any info to help understand the situation would be helpful, thanks

Hi lhampson,
Thank you for your enquiry.
The first part of the forecast will advise you of your State Pension Age, and the maximum amount of State Pension you could receive.
The estimated part would be the amount of pension you could receive based on your current National Insurance record as it is at the moment, and under that section it will advise you how many more years you would need to get your maximum State Pension. 
HMRC cannot advise how many years you need to get your maximum State Pension as this can vary depending on your Nationl Insurance record.
You would need to contact the Future Pension Centre helpline for more information about your pension entitlement.
Contact the Future Pension Centre:
Contact the Future Pension Centre

Thank you. 

I have another query about interpreting the forecast in relation to HRMC Admin 25's reply above...my forecast suggests that if I bought 6 years of voluntary class 3 contributions (adding an extra 5.82 a week for every year bought based on 2023 price), I would reach the maximum pension amount by the time I would be able to claim my pension but not have 35 qualifying years. I am overseas and haven't paid NI since 2002. In terms of getting a response from HMRC (eg CF83 response) , my time slot is 10 December 2023. I am hard of hearing and there is no way to answer this question online except maybe here...If I had a pre-2016 NI record, can I have a full pension with only 32 qualifying years?

35 years only applies to someone who began work from 6th April 2016 onwards. For the rest of us we're in a transitional phase from old to new system and anything from 29 to 50 years may be needed. With 40 years, the only reason you are not getting the full new state pension is because you have been contracted out. During that time you paid less NI as did your employer. In return your works pension makes up the difference. You can improve your state pension by either paying voluntary NI or getting NI Credits.

Hi lemonpress,

As your query is about you pension and we are unable to answer it.
Please contact the International Pension service on:
+44 (0) 191 218 7777, lines are open Monday to Friday 8am to 6PM.
Alternatively, you can write to them at the following address – 
International Pension Centre
The Pension Service
11 Mail Handling Service A
Wolverhampton
WV98 1LW

Thank you.

Hello HRCS Admin 20. Thanks for your response but this is not the correct contact. I've already contacted the International Pensions Centre and they told me I had to contact the Future Pension centre. And then NI general enquiries. And then HMRC. But first I have to wait until my CF85 is processed (some time in December, it seems). But now (thanks Janice!), I have the correct answer to my query.

Hi, in a similar vein, I retired from the NHS in September 2020 and am receiving my Occupational Pension. However I do not reach the threshold to start paying NI contributions or Income Tax. Therefore I am not going to add any more full years to my forecast. I have just downloaded my State Pension forecast and it states that my estimate, based upon my NI record up to the 5th April 2022 is £195.59 and that if I was to contribute another 2 yrs of contributions (which I won't) the forecast would be the maximum of £203.85. My question is that does the forecast (based upon my record up to the 5th April 2022) of £195.59 mean that this is pension I would receive regardless of whether I make any further contributions or not? I am weighing up whether or not it is worth paying for the extra two years to top up my contributions. Many thanks for your help,

Hi Hilary,

Sorry, we can only answer HMRC questions on this forum.

Please contact the Future Pension Centre for advice.

Contact the Future Pension Centre

Thank you.

 

Hi Hilary, Based on what you say £195.59 is indeed what you will get if you make no further contributions. Paying for one more year will take you to £201.41. However paying for a second year would only increase your pension by £2.44 as you cannot go above the maximum. The first year is definitely worth it but the second year not so much.

I have today received and completed the state pension application. My estimate says i will get the full pension i.e. £203.85- £1.43/week unless i pay one more year NI contributions (46 yrs full NI is recorded on my NI record) . . For much of this my working life i was contracted out so does this mean that i will get t£202.06 or will it be reduced because of being contracted out?

Hi,

Sorry, we can only answer HMRC questions on this forum.

Please contact the Future Pension Centre for advice.

Contact the Future Pension Centre

​​​​​​​Thank you.
 

My pension forecast confirms full state pension and NI record indicates 47 years of full contributions. However, there is a figure of £47.39 shown as COPE. Some of my former work colleagues who are already collecting their state pension had a forecast of full payment but when they received the pension it was less than the full amount. How do I check that my state pension will be for the full amount and I do not need to make additional contributions to increase it?

Hi Sue Brignell,

You can check your State Pension Forecast through your Personal Tax Account if you have registered for this or on the HMRC App.  
You can also check you State Pension at Check your State Pension forecast which also gives advice about planning for Retirement.  
Each person’s circumstances are different and if you have any questions about your Pension Forecast, you can contact the Future Pension Centre for advice.  
You will find lots of useful information and their contact details at the above link online.

Thank you.
 

I have been receiving my pension since 2014. I have recently seen reports that from 1978 those women with home responsibilities (of which I was one) may not have received all of their NI credits. Looking on my NI record I have 43 full years but in 1978 I only have 23 weeks, so a part year. I have had my last child in January 1978 and was in receipt of Child Benefit and was at home with my children. My question is if I was not given a full year NI credit in 1978 what if any difference would this make to my current pension?

Hi Maryellen

You refer to the year ‘1978’. It is not clear if this is the tax year 1977-78 or 1978-79?

Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP) ran from 6 April 1978 to 5 April 2010. For customers (such as yourself)  who reached State Pension age on or after 6 April 2010, HRP was converted into National Insurance credits (if the customer needed them) up to a maximum of 22 qualifying years. Credits were only given for full tax years.

So in your particular case, your eldest child was born in January 1978 and so HRP may have been applied to your record from 1978-79 onwards. If you are referring to the 1977-78 year, HRP did not begin until April 1978 so would not have been available for the 1977-78 year.

I suggest you check with the DWP to establish if you are already in receipt of a full state pension. If you are there is no need to take any additional action.  If you are not, but the shortfall is for years prior to April 1978, I am afraid there is nothing that can be done as HRP was not available prior to that date.

Thanks

My state pension amount is a one off payment of £48.35 on 3rd April, then £720.08 every 4 weeks starting 1st May. However I have over 40 years of fully paid NI contributions with no gaps and expected the full state pension of £203.85/£221.20 Please help.

I have just seen a pension forecast that financial adviser acquired in 2020 it states I need 4 more years. My government gateway states now in 2024 it is 9 more years. Is this an error and how do I get it checked. I have 6 years not full that haven’t been checked so I can t even pay them.

I spoke to future pensions he couldn’t deal direct with the issue, but told me these are “undecided years” and that my class 2’s are likely to be sat in the tax office. How do I sort this ? I have paper evidence that I’ve paid class 4 and 2 for the last 6 years.

Hi Carol Longstaff,
Unfortunately, HMRC cannot provide any explanation with regards to your pension entitlement.
You will need to contact the Department for Work and Pensions.
Their contact number is 0800 7310469.
Lines are open from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday - Contact the Pension Service: Get information about your State Pension -
Thank you.

 

Hi Buster Blood vessel Tia,
If you could call our National Insurance Helpline on 0300 200 3500 (from the UK) or +44 191 2037010 (from overseas) then we will be able to check if any payments are waiting to be allocated to your National Insurance account.
If your payments are not recorded then we will be able to start action to trace them.
Thank you.