State Pension Contributions Living Abroad

Dear Sir or Madam, Re: CF83 Form and National Insurance Contributions 2007 to 2016 and 2016 to 2023 My retirement is this year. After looking at my lifetime NI contributions online, I find that I am 9 years short of a full pension because I have worked abroad. Following a suggestion from a helpful lady from Future Pensions, I would like to pay 4 years of class 2 NI contributions. She explained that the rules for NI contributions changed starting in FY 2016. From her I understood that, for the years before FY 2016, when I was living and employed in France, I can improve my coming pension by paying class 2 NI contributions for 4 years, rather than paying 4 years of more expensive class 3 NI contributions. Is this correct? The 4 financial years I would like to pay class 2 NI contributions for when I was employed in France are: 1) 2009-2010 2) 2010-2011 3) 2013-2014 4) 2014-2015 I am a British citizen, born and educated in Britain who has now returned to the UK. I filled in the form CF83 and sent it in in June this year. It is now the 22nd of November and I have had no reply or acknowledgement at all.

Hello … thank you for your response. I am sorry to say that I have already called that number previously. I spent nearly an hour speaking to someone who could not help me at all. In fact, the best advice they could offer was for me to wait until I retired (possibly 20 years from now) and then ring back to check if my NZ years had been counted. When I explained to the person on the NI Helpline about the form CA93A I had sent on the request of HMRC back in 2010 she simply said that she had never heard of that form. I understand that form may have been superseded since 2010 but it was completed by us on the request of HMRC and we never received a response to it. I don’t know what else to try.

fluffymorson Middleton I wonder whether 2 issues are being conflated here. I may be wrong but I do not believe there is a mechanism for social security contributions paid in NZ to be treated as paid in the UK. However, there is a social security agreement between the 2 countries that seems to work in a similar way to the agreement between the UK and the EU for those covered by the EU Withdrawal Agreement. i.e. if you do not have the minimum 10 UK NI years to qualify for a UK state pension, years contributed in NZ can be added to your UK years to help you achieve that requirement. Your UK pension would then be based on your actual UK years, even though that is fewer than 10. If you already have 10 UK years then aggregation of your UK and NZ years would have no impact on your UK pension. Similarly, your UK years can help you reach similar qualifying criteria in NZ. You can of course pay voluntary UK NIC to fill those gaps in your UK record if doing so would actually increase your UK pension forecast but you would need to speak with DWP Future Pension Centre to establish where you stand on that.

Thank you Gary for such a helpful response. That's really all I wanted to know. Do contributions paid in NZ get treated as paid in the UK? Armed with that knowledge, I can make an informed decision on whether to pay voluntary UK NIC.

The contributions are not treated as paid in the other county but that fact that you have contributed means that the year can help you get past the required 10 years in the UK. If you have only 5 UK years and 20 NZ years, you would still only get 5 years' worth of UK pension. NZ would do a similar calculation using their rules, so your 5 UK years would help satisfy any NZ years' requirements but your NZ pension would still be based on your 20 NZ years

Hi fluffymorson Middleton.
A reciprocal agreement between countries means that any tax years in each country may be considered when you apply for state benefits, they are not transferable.
The form CA93A was a guidance booklet for deciding to pay voluntary contributions but circumstances can dictate the way forward.
The process to pay voluntary contributions for non-UK years is different, that was covered in a small paragraph within that booklet. The booklet information is now located on gov.uk -
Voluntary National Insurance Gaps in your National Insurance record
The process to pay for tax years when you are not living in the UK requires HMRC to asses you via a CF83 application to pay voluntary contributions from abroad -
Social Security abroad: NI38
Please read the booklet NI38 on the link, then you will need to decide based on your criteria which class rate of National insurance you wish to apply for. Once assessed we will write back to you inviting you to pay tax years and the amounts.
I would also recommend contacting the New Zealand government regarding your potential pension within that state to see if you are eligible for that countries state pension equivalent.
Before you apply to pay voluntary, first please contact the Department for Work and Pension International Pension centre, they will advise you regarding your state pension and any reciprocal agreement with New Zealand being included. If the years are not included, then they will also advise you if these years would increase your UK state pension if paid voluntarily as some old tax years do not boost a pension as more recent years.
State Pension claims and enquiries from people living outside the UK.
Number - +44 (0) 191 218 7777
Fax - +44 191 218 7021
Address
International Pension Centre
The Pension Service
11 Mail Handling Service A
Wolverhampton
WV98 1LW
Open - 8.00am to 6.00pm Monday to Friday, closed bank holidays and weekends
Thank you.

 

Hi Francis Bruysels,
The applications to pay voluntary contributions to the UK - form CF83 timescales are currently at 40 weeks, we are working cases from 18th February 2023 at present for EU countries.
If we received your letter on 01/06/2023 and expected reply date us 07/03/2024.
You can check the current timescales on gov.uk for your application going forward until we issue a response inviting you to make payments that will enhance your pension.
Check when you can expect a reply from HMRC
However, if you are at 6 months to your state pension date and beyond that to state retirement, please call the Department for work and Pensions International pension centre as below and they will discuss all aspects of your application going forward.
State Pension claims and enquiries from people living outside the UK.
Number - +44 (0) 191 218 7777
Fax - +44 191 218 7021
Address
International Pension Centre
The Pension Service
11 Mail Handling Service A
Wolverhampton
WV98 1LW
Open - 8.00am to 6.00pm Monday to Friday, closed bank holidays and weekends
Thank you.

Hello, From 2019-2021 I lived and worked in Denmark and from 2022-2024 I lived and worked in Australia, however, I will be returning to the UK in a few weeks. Question: How can I get the social security contributions that I made in Denmark to count towards meeting the qualifying conditions for a UK State Pension? Question: Is it correct that the UK and Australia do not have a social security contributions agreement and therefore it is not possible to have the social security contributions that I have made in Australia count towards meeting the qualifying conditions for a UK State Pension? Many thanks

Hi Rob Taylor,
When you claim your UK State Pension you should inform the Pension Service of the other countries that you’ve worked in.
Although there is no actual transfer of Social Security contributions paid in other countries, the Pension Service will be able to advise how contributions paid in an EU member State may help your UK Pension.
We can confirm that the UK does not have a Social Security Agreement with Australia so any contributions you’ve paid there will not count for your UK Pension but you may wish to pay UK voluntary contributions for this period. 
Thank you. 


 

Hi, I live abroad and wanted to access the government gateway to check my pension status. when i try to log into the gateway I have my id number and password, then it tells me to enter the 6 digit code sent to my uk number, clearly I don't have the phone therefore don't receive the code and cannot access the gateway. Question: can i change the number on gateway to my Italian number or should i get a new UK number and change this on the gateway? Thanks in advance. 

Name removed admin . 

Hi pauleone1971,
To help us advise you on accessing your account without a UK contact number, please contact our Online Services by webchat
or phone via Technical support with HMRC online services
Thank you.

Hi, I moved abroad in 2005 and paid class 3 voluntary contributions until mid 2008. I was informed that as I had more than 30 years contributions I should stop paying and I received a refund for the contributions made in year 2008-2009. Since then, the number of years contributions required to receive the maximum state pension has increased to 35 and therefore I am short by 3 years now. My pension is due to be paid in 2028, if I pay voluntary contributions for 3 years can I increase the amount I receive? Does it matter which 3 years, that is, could it be past years or will I have to start paying contributions now? Many thanks

Hi Eileen,
To check your current and future entitlement to a UK State Pension please apply for a State Pension Forecast via Check your State Pension forecast
The Forecast will also detail any shortfalls that you may pay to improve your entitlement to a State Pension.
Thank you.

I have checked my forecast, hence the questions.

Hi,

Your forecast should confirm whether or not paying an extra 3 years will increase your pension entitlement and also which years can be paid.

If you are still unsure, unfortunately we cannot advise further and these questions will need to be directed to the DWP.

Thank you.
 

Earlier in this thread I asked: How can I get the social security contributions that I made in Denmark to count towards meeting the qualifying conditions for a UK State Pension? Following on from the response that I received, can you confirm that I don't need to do anything until I reach retirement age? Furthermore, what evidence will I be expected to provide to demonstrate that I made social security contributions in Denmark? Many thanks, Rob Taylor

Thank you for your reply. I contacted Future Pensions and got very useful advice. I didn't think I could get the full pension because when I was working I was contracted out. However, they explained that as the law changed in 2016 if I pay 8 years NI contributions I can increase my pension to the full amount.

Hi, I have a question on paying my contributions from abroad. I would be paying from an overseas bank account in the Republic of Ireland. My Bill is in GB Sterling. Can I pay from my Irish bank account the equivalent amount in Euros and would this be converted to to GBP on the UK Account. I have all the UK Account details etc.

Hi Rob,
You will provide all information and evidence if requested when applying for your UK state pension via the Department for Works and Pensions.
HMRC do not make decisions on an individuals state pension entitlement and further information can be located on the www.gov.uk website.
Thank you.

Hi Orchard Exile,
Yes you can make a payment from your Irish bank to the UK bank amount from Euro converted to GBP.
When make a payment from abroad you will need to make sure that the amount paid covers correct the GBP amount as any underpayment will be requested and you may pay more fees if you have to send another payment.
More information can be found at:
GOV.UK The best place to find government services and information
or
Pay Class 2 National Insurance if you do not pay through Self Assessment
Thank you.