CDNReturner

If I recall that was the site that asked for my address a couple of months ago and wouldn't let me enter a Canadian address.

christmasoompa

Ah, maybe because you don't have a government gateway log in? I do, so it doesn't ask me for anything else, two clicks and I can see what my pension forecast is and my NI record. But perhaps those that don't have one (or that have a foreign address) need to give more info.

Bucks_Family

Following up on your link just now, I requested my gateway log in this morning, all I needed was my name, date of birth, NI number, then it asked if I have a current valid UK Passport (I do) and so it asked for the number, exact names on it, and expiry date, and that's that, I'm in and can see my pension forecast and NI record.
I'm not sure what it might ask for if you don't have a current UK Passport.

Almost Canadian

I believe that they must have changed it as, when I attempted to do this some months ago, I wasn't able to do so (although I forget the reason why).

When I tried it earlier today, I did the same as you and all was good.

Snowy560

I have a Gateway account but wanted a physical letter.

Snowy560

I just wanted to update this thread with where I'm up to in case it helps anyone else.

Husband = 35 years contributions told not to pay in voluntary contributions.
Me = 34 years contributions. Pension rather less than husband by about +£40 pw. (I was contracted out)
DWP offers to have pension specialist call me over whether to pay voluntary contributions.
Specialist calls at PST 6.20 am this morning.
She's done her calculations though. She's concluded that it's not worth paying for any years missed (backwards) but I can pay going forward for up to 5 years to get the max. I don't understand this but accept she is right.

Each year of extra contributions for 4 of those years will add another approx £5 pw to the pension. Year 5 of extra contribution will only add another 30p pw.

If I want to discuss making those contributions, I can call an international caseworker to discuss whether I'm Class 2 which I think is £143 pa (??) or Class 3 which is £733 pa and whether to go forward.

Was a bit stressful at that time in the morning but she was very thorough.
Don't completely understand it all but I am trying.

bgpz

That sounds a bit confusing. As I understand it, once you've got up to the requisite number of years, you're at full entitlement.

If you've been away for five years, and haven't paid any voluntary Class 2 contributions, you should be able to and that should get you up to max... if "paying forward for five years" means to pay this year, and then the next four years... why?
The cynic in me wonders if this is an attempt to suggest they can make more from you because of the Class 2 loophole being closed in a couple of years, but that really doesn't seem right... unless something has changed in the last 3 months or so (or whenever I spoke to someone and then got mine through the post).

I filled out a form, sent it back, got written confirmation a few weeks later confirming that I'm eligible for Class 2 since leaving the UK, and how many years I can buy up (and how much it'll cost).

I'd suggest it would be better to do this by mail, and have written confirmation that you can then point to. This isn't something I'd want to do over the phone.

Snowy560

I believe the specialist I spoke to. My situation is slightly complicated because of being contracted out and having done some online UK work since I've been here. I will call the caseworker in the next few days. There was only one year (backwards) that I could contribute to (forgotten which one that was). I already have 34 years contributions but need more to get the full pension I think because of being contracted out.

Pulaski

That's interesting, and partially answers one of my questions - whether I might be able/want to make additional voluntary contributions beyond 35 years because of the impact of being contracted out. .... It sounds like the answer is "yes", and if the benefit is £5/week then the payback period is less than three years of retirement if each year costs £715 @ Class 3 rates, which is a pretty good deal.

Snowy560

Pulaski: I would encourage you to do as I did once you have your statement. Call up the DWP on +44 191 218 3600. Ask if they can arrange for a specialist to give you a call back to discuss whether it is worth making voluntary contributions. That person will do the calculations and talk you though it.

I may not have understood it all but setting it out here on BE in writing is helping me understand better and that it's not just a case of being one year short so you pay one more year. It doesn't work like that.

Pulaski

Thank you, that is definitely good advice, but at the moment I am still a number of years short of even 35 years of contributions, so I will just keep paying each year for now, and look more closely at my options a year or two ahead of reaching 35 years.

I went to open an online account, but didn't have my passport details to hand, and I took pictures of my passport the last time I went to the bank to access my safe deposit box, but still haven't got around to opening the account.

morpeth

Perhaps a silly question but in my case with paying for past years, and next six years I arrive at 25 years total by the time of retirement. So I understand the pension would be 25/35 X the full pension one receives at 35 years payments. If I work past retirement age (a) do I keep paying NIC (b) does that increase credited ? (c) If I am working and decide to delay receiving the pension, my limited understanding if one defers the pension you collect the next year but a bit higher ?

Snowy560

Your contributions can only ever take you to the maximum pension payable which is currently approx £159 pw atm (that's not exact but just more or less the figure I recall the specialist told me on the phone the other day).

But you should get a quotation of where you're up to and ask whether it is worth you paying additional contributions. No point paying them if they won't actually increase your pension. There doesn't seem to be a "one size fits all". You need to find out according to your actual situation rather than just assume that if you do x it will result in y.

In my case, even though I have 34 qualifying years, just getting another one doesn't get me a full pension: I suspect because I was contracted out.

morpeth

The government gateway account pretty clear, it shows what my pension will be if I pay through retirement age. Very good return on investment at this point.

But as you say, though I thought I would ask anyway, seems no reason to contribute except if one has to through employment.

Pulaski

(a) no, you stop paying NI at retirement age even if you carry on working

(b) n/a

(c) If you don't draw your pension it goes up for each year you don't draw it - now about 5% for each year you don't draw it - it used to be 10.6% for each year. Some people prefer to draw it and reinvest it, the argument being that if you die at least your heirs get it, whereas if you defer it then die within about twenty years (5yrs/25% = 20, also 1yr/5%, 2/10%, etc.) of retirement you and your estate have lost out, so I suspect that in most case deferring is no longer an optimal strategy.

My parents did different strategies - my father drew his state pension and reinvested it, and died seven years later, so his strategy was correct for him. My mother deferred her pension for five years, increasing it by 53%, and has now been retired 18 years, so also made the correct decision, collecting substantially more since she retired than she passed up for five years. She is also still in remarkably good health and we are hoping she will come to visit us for Christmas.