NI Class 3 voluntary contribution 18 digit reference number

To make a NI Class 3 payment to fill a gap in my pension contribution I need an 18 digit reference number. The HMRC website says to call 0300 200350 to get this, After waiting on the line for more than 1 hour to speak to someone I am giving up to get a telephone response. What else can I do to get such a reference number to be able to pay before the deadline of 5 April 2023?

I also have tried to get my 18 digit reference number by calling 0300 200 3500. I have not even made it onto the queue. The automated system asks a number of identity questions and then says goodbye and cuts me off. I would be very interested to know if there is another place to get this number.

Same issue. Also, not encouraged that they MAY accept payments after 5 April as they are aware of "telephony problems". This is too vague on such an important matter. If anyone hears/knows of an alternative way of getting an 18 digit reference please share. (Am considering using a reference from previous years and telling them later which missing year they should apply it to.)

Same problem, had to give up after an hour. I wondered if I could use my reference from last year or if they issue a new one. If anyone from HMRC reads this, it would be really helpful if they could clarify this. And if I can use my reference from last year, it would be useful if it appeared in my personal information when I signed in through Government Gateway (it doesn't - although I do actually have a note of it).

Hi Elisabeth Minkner,

We are sorry you have been unable to speak to an advisor to obtain an 18 digit reference number, our lines have been extremely busy. An alternative way to pay without an 18 digit reference number, would be to pay by cheque. However, before you send any payments to HMRC, please read the following information.

If you would like to pay voluntary contributions to increase your state pension you can find more information here:
Pay voluntary Class 3 National Insurance

For UK residents, the first thing you will need to do is to contact DWP.  The reason we require you to contact DWP is because they will be able to advise you what years it is best for you to pay, and if you will benefit from paying them. Although these contributions are voluntary they cannot be refunded if paid incorrectly, therefore you should ensure that you will benefit from making the payment. 

If you are below pension age you should contact the Future Pension Centre.
Contact the Future Pension Centre

If you are over pension age you should contact the Pension Service.
Contact the Pension Service

Once you have this information you have 2 options:

1. You can contact HMRC to obtain an 18 digit reference number.  You can then use this number to pay online, at your bank, or via online banking.
   National Insurance: general enquiries
2.  You can write to us, and include a cheque for the amount DWP have advised you can be paid.  You should include your National Insurance number and the years you would like to pay on the reverse of the cheque and include a covering letter.
   Pay voluntary Class 3 National Insurance by cheque through the post

The address to write to is:

HM Revenue and Customs
National Insurance Contributions and Employer Office
BX9 1AN

Include a note with your cheque providing the following information:

• your name, address and phone number
• your Class 3 National Insurance contributions reference number (or National Insurance number)
• how much you’re paying
• the period you’re paying for

HMRC will accept your original date of contact, and the date the payment is received will be honoured. However, it may take up to 8 weeks for your National Insurance record to be updated.

For customers who reside overseas you will need to read the booklet NI38, and complete the CF83, making sure you tick the option that you would like to know what arrears you can pay.

We will accept the date your CF83 is received by HMRC as your date of contact.  For overseas customer it can take longer for your payments to show on your National Insurance account.

If you require a receipt for any payment made, you must ask for this.

Thank you
 

Folks, same issue, have called numerous times to get through as don't want to miss the April, 5th deadline - go through all the questions, then just cut off each time - not even on a que this is extremely frustrating. How do I get an 18 digit number to pay online - seem to just keep going round in circles, but going nowhere - the system must be easier than this ??

Hi Ross H,

Although a different reference number would be created, you can still use an 18 digit reference number that you have previously been given by HMRC. However, you must advise HMRC which year you would like the payment to be allocated to. You can do this by contacting our National Insurance team on 0300 200 3500 (lines may be less busy after the deadline for tax years 2006-2007 to 2016-2017 has passed in April 2023).

Alternatively, you can write to HMRC at the following address.

National Insurance Contributions and Employer Office
PT Operations North East England
HM Revenue and Customs
BX9 1AN

Please note, you must contact DWP before sending any payments to HMRC. The reason we require you to contact DWP is because they will be able to advise you what years it is best for you to pay, and if you will benefit from paying them.  Although these contributions are voluntary, they cannot be refunded if paid incorrectly, therefore you should ensure that you will benefit from making the payment. 

If you are below pension age you should contact future pension centre on 0800 731 0175
If you are over pension age you should contact the pension service on 0800 731 7898

DWP phone lines are open between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Friday.

Thank you

 

Hello HMRC Admin 32 - thanks in advance for your reply and feeling sympathetic to anyone having to administer all of this :( I had the same query as Ross H. So to be clear - the answer is that you can use the 18 digit reference you were previously given to pay your contributions now. But you would then have to call the NI team (on the number which currently cuts you off after you have spent ages giving information to a computer) to get the payment allocated to the relevant year(s)? Or send the money and then write a letter hoping that everything will be joined up enough to put your money and the instructions given in your letter together? Or wait until you might be able to talk to someone hopefully after 5 April? Is this last option the safest one?

Hi mum,

Thank you for your enquiry. Apologies for the frustrations this has caused you.
Unfortunately we have seen a higher than normal demand on our helplines at present as this is currently the only way to obtain the 18 digit reference. HMRC have however, increased the deadline until 31 July 2023 (Voluntary National Insurance).
We hope this will ease some of the pressure on our customers and give you more time to contact us for your reference. 

Thank you. 


 

You really need to make this 18 digit number 'findable' online. This would ease the pressure. I too have had to give up trying to contact by phone. I have no paperwork with is number on.

Hi Blackheath58,

Please accept our apologies for not being able to get through to an HMRC advisor at this extremely busy time.
I can confirm that you can use an 18 digit reference number that you have previously been given by HMRC for previous tax years.
However, you must let HMRC know which tax year you would like the payment to be allocated to.
You can do this by calling the help line (0300 200 3500) at a less busy time, or by sending a letter to HMRC advising that you have made a payment and you would like it to be allocated to a particular tax year. The address you would write to is –

National Insurance contributions and Employer Office
PT Operations North East England
HM Revenue and Customs
BX9 1AN

Please include your name, address, daytime contact number and National Insurance number in the letter.
Please note that the deadline of 05/04/2023 for tax years 2006-2007 to 2016-2017 has now been extended to 31/07/2023.
Please also note that you must contact the Department for work and Pensions (0800 731 0175) to confirm if paying voluntary National Insurance contributions for a particular year will increase your pension before sending any payments to HMRC.

Thank you.
 

I have studied the pages very carefully on paying voluntary topup contributions from abroad. From my reading I understand that if you pay through online or telephone banking all you need is your NI Number. In the reference you put your NI number followed by 'IC' then your surname and initial. e.g. XX123456XICBLOGGSF. Where XX123456X is your NI Number. Does anyone know if this is correct?

I would like to add, to this growing list, my utter frustration in trying to contact HMRC to get my 18 digit reference number. I have waited on hold at the number given to obtain this information (0300 200 3500 ) for more than 3 hours, been cut off after waiting for more than an hour on two occasions, been cut off immediately after listening to their menu selection. The Future Pension Centre is the same, impossible to contact. I am approaching my retirement age in a couple of months, I have read all of the online information and still cannot get the information I need. Quite frankly this is unacceptable.

To any/all the HMRC Admins that have contributed to this forum As suggested, I found my cheque book (last used in 2007) and sent a cheque with a covering letter to the address given a few times on this forum (postcode BX9 1AN). I paid for the "signed-for service" and posted it at the post office counter. That was 10 days ago. I have been checking daily but it is still not showing as having been delivered. Please can you clarify if I should expect my letter to be signed for? If it has genuinely been lost, of course I can cancel the cheque and send another. Alternatively, I might go back to an earlier suggestion and make an online payment using an 18 digit reference from a previous year. Thanks in advance for any guidance on this

Hi SanMarco53,

I can confirm that the part beginning with XX is where you would input your National Insurance number. 
However, before sending any payments of voluntary National Insurance contributions to HMRC from abroad, you must complete an application form.
Please go to Social Security abroad: NI38 
This leaflet will provide information about paying voluntary National Insurance contributions whilst living abroad.
The application form (CF83) is at the back of this leaflet.
You will receive a reply from HMRC advising if you are eligible to pay voluntary National Insurance contributions, information on how to pay will be included with the reply.

Thank you.
 

1) I have an 18 digit reference number beginning 6099999 which I have used in previous years paying backdated contributions for more than 1 year. This year I only have to pay for one year i.e. 2022/2023 for which I will owe £824.20. Do I only need to change the beginning of the reference number to 6082420 and the rest of the number remains the same? Do I wait until the end of this tax year to make this payment i.e. 5th April 2023 or can I pay it now as my HMRC account national insurance record for this period says "your record for this year is not available yet"? 2) The amount for 2023/2024 is now set at £907.40 as per the recent budget - when is the earliest I can make this contribution or could it change during the year? Thank you for your help.

To my fellow frustrated citizens, This is what I did to finally get my 18 digit reference number. Go to the gov.uk website, find 'National Insurance: general enquiries' page, then click on: 'Ask HMRC’s digital assistant' then enter 'advisor' into the typing space shown. You may have to enter the word 'advisor' more than once in the typing space in response to whatever they reply to get directed to an actual live advisor. Good luck!

@ RealityCheck Thank you. I did as you suggested and got my number.

Hi pweza pweza,

Payments are taking up to 8 weeks to process and to show on NI records.

 I am unable to comment on whether your cheque is lost as I have no identifying information to check this for you.

All payments of voluntary NICs are sent to our banking teams who will in time process your payment.

 If your payment has not cleared from your bank then I would suggest it hasn’t been processed yet.

Due to data security we cannot view the banking system.  

If you requested a receipt with your cheque payment then you should received this to your residential address.

Thank you. 
 

Hi Elstree,

Thank you for your enquiry. 

Unfortunately you would need to be provided with a new 18 digit reference number to make your new payment.

We are experiencing high call volumes at present.

But for 2022/2023 you do have until 05/04/2025 to make a payment at the current rate, and until 05/04/2029 at the latest (subject to change in the amount). 

For your query I am assuming you may wish to continue paying future years.

For 2023/24 we can set up your account to pay via Direct Debit (Pay voluntary Class 3 National Insurance: Direct Debit - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)) or we can send you a bill every 3 weeks to pay with your 18 digit reference.

Pay voluntary Class 3 National Insurance

However, you would need to speak to out helpline to arrange this.

We would need to confirm some checks with you to ensure that you are able to pay the 23/24 tax year (eg if you are working or are on any benefits).

Please be assured, the Class 3 amounts will not change during the tax year. 

Thank you.