UK State Pension (Full entitlement at 35 qualifying years)

Hi All, Please advise when you pay an extra 2 years of Voluntary Contributions which totals 37 qualifying years- what happens? I genuinely believe the HMRC system got severely clogged up during the Covid pandemic and it was impossible to receive an acceptable level of service (even more so phoning from Adelaide, South Australia). For this reason the lack of communication lead to misinformation and confusion. There are 3 possible outcomes (I think) but unsure what will happen. 1. I lose my extra 2 years payment, regardless that it was a genuine mistake (poor communication/misunderstanding between myself and HMRC). 2. I will benefit slightly by receiving a small weekly increase in my weekly benefits once I retire at age 67 years. 3. Be refunded my extra 2 years as it was a genuine error. Which brings me to my final point- my most recent letter from HMRC (dated 23/6/2023 but not received until 13/7/2023) confirmed that I had 36 qualifying years (National Insurance Contributions) plus another 1 year (recently paid) =37 years in total. If this was not to benefit myself why would HMRC not advise me of this and reimburse my overpayment? Any advise on this would be greatly appreciated. Thank You.

Hi Gary Mooney,
I am sorry that you feel you have not received the level of service you expected. 
In 2016 the new State Pension (nSP) was introduced, one of the main changes to the nSP was that the number of qualifying years increased 30 to 35.

Another was that the number of qualifying years needed may be higher than the 35 years if you have paid into a company pension, we refer to this as your contracted out period.  
You will have more than likely paid this if you have any P60 or payslips showing D rate of NICs being deducted.

If you have had a period of contracted NICs on your UK record then you may need more than 35 years to achieve the full UK State Pension entitlement.

When applying to pay voluntary NICs from abroad you would have been advised to check with the pension service part of the Department for Works and Pensions (DWP) that paying Voluntary NICs will increase the amount of UK State Pension you would receive.

If you have paid the extra NICs and want to know how much increase you will receive you may wish to check your online record at www.goiv.uk or by contacting DWP by the following methods:

Under UK state pension age

Telephone +44 (0) 191 218 7777

They are open 8.00am to 6.00pm Monday to Friday, closed bank holidays and weekends

Or in writing:

International Pension Centre
The Pension Service
11 Mail Handling Service A
Wolverhampton
WV98 1LW

Over UK state pension age
Telephone
+44 191 218 3600
Opening times 8:00am to 6:00pm, Monday to Friday

Or in writing
The Pension Service 9
Mail Handling Site A
Wolverhampton
WV98 1LW

You can request a refund of the payments
If you believe the information we hold is incorrect

you must do this in writing at:

HMRC 
PT Operations
International Caseworker ROW
BX9 1AN

When we confirm the number of years you have we are always a tax year behind so this could be the reason why you were quoted 36 years and not 37.

The 2022-2023 tax year will not show on statements or on online records until after the 5 April 2024.
Thank you.