FenTiger

My wife last week looking at her N.I.contributions online discovered there were shortfalls for quite a few years but has never received a letter informing her about this apart from one year which I recall because I remember us discussing it. Mostly she has worked part-time and I suspect her earnings were below the limit before she had to contribute. But surely, she should have received a letter informing her about this?

PaulinEger

Surely, the responsibility lies with the individual.
My wife and I have been discussing this topic as we haven't made any contributions for 12 years and are a fair way off retirement age so are looking at catching up with voluntary contributions. We do have private pensions but would like to be guaranteed a decent income once we retire. At the moment, we are thinking of winding down and going part time once we hit 60 and starting to draw on our private pensions.

Sachina

The responsibility is yours. If I remember rightly you are allowed to make up to 7 years back shortfall on your NI contributions and you can elect to pay contributions until (I think) age 67 or maybe 69. If you write to the department they will tell you exactly.

scot47

My advice - "DO IT". While I was working in The Middle East I did it and tried to raise awareness among colleagues. Some followed my advice and are now reaping the harvest. Others did not and are living in penury.

FenTiger

You can check online what your UK government pension would be with and without the voluntary contributions. I'm going to revisit mine because if I make voluntary contributions until my UK government pension retirement age I will get a higher pension income per week. Same situation for my wife.

Peter_in_Hungary

Wot scot47 said+1
Especially as UK state pensions will now indexed as if you were in the UK even if you start drawing your pension after January next year.

scot47

Until some bright spark in The Treasury hits on the bright idea of abolishing The State Retirment Pension.

Peter_in_Hungary

That process IMO has already started with the introduction of compulsory work place pensions and since 2018 (I think) anyone who employs 1 person or more has to offer a transportable pension scheme so by the time this has rattled through the years the state will be in a position to phase out the state OAP.

Benny Kovacs

Nevermind, I didn't read thee thread properly

JBinhungary

Totally agree Peter, it is only a matter of time especially in the current economic climate.

jetsam1

I wonder how the Hungarian State Pension will be then? I have 20 years to pay into it before I will get anything. I don't expect to receive anything much from the UK to be honest. I know I am maybe a year or two off in terms of contributions for the basic of the basic.

Peter_in_Hungary

Re the UK state pension - as you are resident in Hungary (the EU) before December 31 2020 any UK state pension will be uprated annually as if you were living in the UK regardless of when you start claiming it so it may be worth paying the few years in to the UK NI pension so that you get a UK state pension annually uprated - and your wife will get a widows pension based on your state OAP.