How to pay Voluntary contributions to fill gaps

Hi Paul from Aus,

We can confirm that, if you start to receive your State Pension prior to paying any voluntary National Insurance contributions that you may be eligible to pay, this will not prevent you from paying them at a later date. 

Thank you.

Below I provide, in order, Introduction, Background and Question. Introduction: There seems to be a difference between information in my online UK National Insurance record and information I have received directly from HMRC. I’d like to gather further information before I write to HRMC for clarification. Background: I reached State Pension Age on 16 April 2021. I have lived and worked outside the UK since 1980, in Australia since 1990. I am male. My online UK National Insurance record (https://www.tax.service.gov.uk/check-your-state-pension/account/nirecord) shows that I have made 18 years of full contributions. The online UK National Insurance record also says that I can “make up the shortfall” for years from “2006 to 2007” up to “2020 to 2021” by paying about 850 Pounds Sterling for each outstanding year, as long as I pay by 5 April 2025 (2026/2027 for the last two years). I have not yet started claiming my State Pension. The International Pension Centre has confirmed by letter that I can claim a State Pension (they state that my State Pension on 16 April 2021 would have been about 90 Pounds per week, and an additional amount of about 15 Pounds per week would be payable if I started receiving payments now). I submitted a Form CF83 to HMRC to pay Voluntary Class 3 Contributions in January 2024. In March 2024 I received a letter from HMRC saying that “it is too late” for me “to pay any voluntary National Contributions for any tax years before 2022/2023.” My online UK National Insurance record and the HMRC letter seem to contradict one another, my online UK National Insurance record seems to say that I can pay voluntary National Contributions, and the March 2024 letter from HMRC says that I cannot. Question: Is there any chance that my online UK National Insurance record is correct, and I am still able to pay voluntary National Contributions for at least some of the years between “2006 to 2007” up to “2020 to 2021”?

In my previous post I forgot to add "Thanks for your help." I am grateful for your help. Regards Paul from Aus2

Hi Paul from Aus2 Frances,
Thank you for your enquiry. Unfortunately, without looking at your personal records I am unable to confirm if you have been correctly advised with regards to paying voluntary National Insurance contributions whilst abroad.
Your online National Insurance records will show years where you are deficient, and how much those years will cost at the voluntary Class 3 rate. However, before making any payments, you would need to check with the Pension Service, whether making these payments would benefit you. Further information can be found on the gov.uk website - Pay voluntary Class 3 National Insurance: Overview - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
Because you are over state pension age, your application to pay voluntary National Insurance contributions would be processed by the International Pension Centre rather than HMRC. You may wish to contact the International Pension Centre to check if your application was passed to them to process. Their contact number is +44 (0) 191 2187777. Lines are open Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm.
Thank you.