Impossible to talk to someone regarding to NI voluntary contributions.

My dad is going to be a pensioner tomorrow. He has to pay 332.85 for the tax year 2008-09, but now it seems impossible, your phone line service seems broken. In the last three weeks we called the Future Pension Centre at least 60 times, without being able to speak someone. The line were always cut off. I know that the deadline was extended, but does that apply to my dad's case: he has already claimed his pension, right now it is being finalised, but now he is going to get a lower amount because of the gap. Or is it still possible to fill the gap before the new deadline in order to get the higher state pension? Also, I find it quite strange that you made this payment so complicated. You could just add a "Pay now" button to your website. I made a recording to show what I am facing with, it is on Google Drive .

Hi,

We are sorry to hear that you been unable to speak to an advisor on our helpline, our lines are extremely busy at present.

We can confirm that your father can still make a payment for the 2008 to 2009 year although he has now reached state pension age. The deadline for paying for that tax year is 31 July 2023.

However, he must confirm with the Department for Work and Pensions that paying for that year will increase his pension before he sends any payments to HMRC. It is important that he does this. If he paid for that year without checking and his pension did not increase, he would not automatically be entitled to a refund. We have provided their contact numbers below, however their phone lines are also extremely busy at present.

0800 731 0175 for customers under state pension age.
0800 731 0469 for customers over state pension age.

Once your father has confirmed that paying for that year will increase his pension, he can make a payment to HMRC by online banking or by cheque. Please see the attached link on how to pay by online banking:

Pay voluntary Class 3 National Insurance

Or by cheque:

By cheque through the post 

The only way to pay by online banking is to obtain an 18 digit reference number from HMRC. The contact number for obtaining the 18 digit reference number is 0300 200 3500. If you are still having problems getting through on that number, your father can make a payment by cheque without an 18 digit reference number.

Thank you.

 

I have paid the required voluntary NI contributions. I have cked my forecast and it is unchanged, I understand that this may take some time. I will reach stae pension age next month. My question is; will my pension payments commence at a) the full rate or b) at the forecast reduced rate? If the answer is b will the arrears be made up backdated to the startdate of my state pension. Thank you.

Hi,

I am sorry that you are having problems speaking to our online services:  They are open Monday to Friday 08:00 to 18:00 if you tried them outside their opening times they will not be able to assist you.

There is also a webchat option:

Webchat
Monday to Friday 8.00am to 8.00pm
Saturday 8.00am to 4.00pm
Closed bank holidays

Technical support with HMRC online services

The Online Services Helpdesk supports customers with technical problems and queries regarding online filing and HMRC software.

Online Services assist with

• customers who are having problems logging on
• customers who are having problems registering
• customers who are having problems submitting forms
• customers who are receiving error messages in their online account or on HMRC forms
• technical assistance for the download and use of HMRC free software, e.g. PDV, BPT and tools

Online Services do not

• handle any enquiries with regard to VAT and associated taxes and excise duty
• see the content of submitted forms
• provide User ID's, Passwords or Activations Codes/PIN's over the telephone
• give advice on completing tax related questions within the forms

Thank you.

I have been trying to get information for 3 months now only once I got through to the national insurance help line and they wasn't very helpful in my case. Since then I have tried hmrc and never got to speak to a human being, so this is my last attempt to get answers. OK the last 5 years I have not been able to work in my job due to illness. I can't claim benifits due to owning a second property I rent out to my daughter at a reduced rent, so basically I have been living off my savings and the small amount of rent. My question I have is when I go to pay back dated NI contribution it's asking for £824.20. per year to top up my only income from the rent after deductions is £2180 a year surely this can't be right. I have friends that eRn more from self employment who only pay £178.00 approx per year for a stamp Please help as I am 60 year old now and do not have enough contributions for full state pension.

Hi I would like to find out how to apply for voluntary national insurance contributions,(class 2) for the current tax year. Would I need to complete a new form dated 06.04.2023 and supply details of work during this year? Would I need to repeat the same process every year? Thanks 

I have a full 44 years national insurance contributions up to 2017 after that i havent worked. I now am showing a subtatial shot fall as i have no contributions from 2017 even though it shows 44 full years. I cannot get through to the Future Pension Centre due to being cut off after getting past opp 4 and opp 1 using 0800 731 0175. Over the last month i must have tried over 50 times all in the opening hours of the centre. Can you please tell me what are my options now and another form of contact so i can resolve this problem. I am aware that the deadline has been moved to the end of July but this is immaterial if i cannot get through. This poor contact needs resolving and i know many other people have the same problem.

voluntary class 3 Nat Ins paying by cheque: can you confirm you can just pay by cheque rather than the futile phone system to gain an 18 code ref number to pay online. If so am i right in saying you just follow the `paying by cheque` protocols on your website.( i have been told with the cheque option your NI number can be used rather than the 18 digit ref number that seems impossible to get) I know the amount i need to pay. Let me know thanks

Hi Kenzone62 Anders,

The rates of class 3 Voluntary NICs are set by government and the current rate for the 2022-2023 tax year is £824.20.  
These rates are not set by HMRC.  More information can be found on our website 
National Insurance: introduction
Self-employed National Insurance rates  
We are experiencing high customer calls and contacts to our webchat service.  
You can view your current state pension forecast on the Check your State Pension forecast

Thank you.

Hi Sharon2,

If you are living/working abroad and want to know more about paying voluntary national insurance contributions while abroad,
please read the Social Security abroad: NI38.  
The application to apply is held towards the back of the NI38 information and is called a CF83.
Depending on your circumstance and which rate you wish to apply for, you can choose to pay annually or by monthly direct debit if you still have a UK bank account. Once accepted and you have chosen your payment method you will receive a notice of when the payments will commence or for annual payments a payment request will be issued to your nominated address.
You cannot pay annually by direct debit and if you are a part year worker you should wait until the end of each tax year before applying, you will need to provide exact dates of your employment(s) and whether you did not work for any of that tax year.

Thank you.

Many thanks for your comments I have already sent in the form CF83 to apply for class 2 voluntary contributions and I am waiting for a reply. (Sent application in March 2023 In order to apply for 2022/2023 (I am a part year worker) liviing /working abroad. c) Can I now send in another form CF83 or do I need to wait? Thanks

Hi Tim Walker,

HMRC cannot advise on whether you can pay any contributions, what short falls you have, and what you can pay in order to increase your pension.  
You would need to speak to DWP Contact the Pension Service, before HMRC could deal with your case.  
We are aware that both DWP and HMRC’s phone lines are currently very busy, but can only advise you to keep trying.

Thank you.

Hi mpscotty,

Yes, I can confirm you can pay your Class 3 via cheque.
All of the information can be found here: Pay voluntary Class 3 National Insurance
You can note your National Insurance number on the back of the cheque rather than the 18 digit reference.
Please ensure you have confirmed with DWP that the payment will increase your pension.
Also please note that payments made via cheque can take longer to show on your personal tax account.
We currently have a timescale of 29 weeks in that area.
Please be assured that as long as your cheque has been received and the funds cleared from your bank before the 31st July 2023 (for tax years prior to 2017/18), your account will still be updated. 

Thank you.
 

Hi Sharon2,

If the application you made in March 2023 was only in relation to earlier year/years only you will need to complete another CF83 for current/future years.
The timescales for the process of these forms depends on the country you are in, please see below.
For EU countries the current timescale is 29 weeks.
For the Rest of the World the current timescale is 34 weeks.
For further information you will need to contact the National Insurance Helpline on 03002003500, the lines are open Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm.

Thank you.
 

Hi Can you please confirm what dates you are currently working on for Class 2 voluntary national contribution. (From Spain) Thanks I have tried the application "check when" but not sure what option

Hi Sharon2,
If you are checking the “Check when you can expect a reply from HMRC” on gov.uk please use the following categories for your application.
•    Applying to pay overseas voluntary contributions (CF83) - EU application (including Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway & Switzerland) to pay National Insurance whilst abroad.
Current waiting times depend on the date you submitted your application, we are currently working items received on 22 February 2023 to 43 week’s timescales for a reply as of 28/12/2023.
If you are six months to state pension, or are over state pension age, please contact the Department for work and pensions - International Pension centre to discuss your application.
Number - +44 (0) 191 218 7777
Open - 8.00am to 6.00pm Monday to Friday, closed bank holidays and weekends
Thank you.

I am self employed on a low income. I have had endless problems trying to pay class 2 voluntary contributions I CANNOT pay via self assessment. I'm not allowed to I have to call up I have spent HOURS on hold, listening to your ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE call waiting system Constantly triggering the fight or flight response by swapping between music and recorded voice every minute This is the WORST I have ever encountered In the previous years my payments have been lost and wrongly allocated, causing more hours spent on the phone THIS IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE 1. Please sort your phone system out 2. Please play soothing music, without interruptions if you're going to keep people on hold for over an hour at a time 3. Please don't :"lose" payments 4. Please don't allocate payments incorrectly 5. Please train your staff appropriately, as they always contradict each other, making it very difficult to get the correct information 6. Please make it possible for below threshold self employed to pay by Direct Debit. We've been asking for years!

Hi Princess wilson,

We are sorry for the frustration you feel when trying to contact us. We do have multiple channels of communication for customers and are always looking to improve current methods customer contact.

There is no option to pay voluntary UK class 2 National Insurance contributions by direct debit because the collection is now through your Self Assessment return, which operates on the previous tax year.

There is an option to pay voluntarily when your earnings are below the threshold, this will then be received in the Self Assessment system and transferred to the NI record.

Thank you.
 

Hi I originally completed the form CF138 in March 2023, however I completed the form incorrectly as I understood that I could only pay national insurance voluntary contributions from 2006 to 2016 and therefore only provided employment during this time. (Applied for Class 2 ) The (March form) has now been completed and I would like to apply for the periods after this date and ask for permission to pay future periods Class 2 as I am a Teacher working in Spain Can you please clarify if the The correct procedure would be complete a new from stating the periods i.e. (2016 to present) I would like to apply and provide employment details for these new dates? Post a reply

Hi,

If you require information for further periods not included in the original application, you will need to complete a further CF83.  

Thank you.