National Insurance Contributions
 

Has anyone continued to pay their NI contributions after they moved to Canada. If so how do you pay? Do you still have a UK account and pay from that or do you transfer money from a Canadian account?

Re: National Insurance Contributions
 

I made a 'bill' payment from my UK account quoting the reference on the letter. It wasn't a suggested method but it worked.

Re: National Insurance Contributions
 

Thanks :)

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I wire transfer funds from my Canadian bank. It's probably not the most cost-efficient way to do it, but the only other sensible option that I could think of would have been to transfer money to a relative and get them to send a cheque... that seemed fraught with opportunities to go wrong.

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I buy a money order at the post office and send it. The bank will issue a similar document but the post office is cheaper.

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Thanks for the suggestions. Good to know there are options that work.

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Why do pay in to your national insurance?

Re: National Insurance Contributions
 

Because it raises your UK pension. :)

https://www.gov.uk/voluntary-nationa...-contributions

Re: National Insurance Contributions
 

There's that aspect to it but also it's a matter of responsibility. Funding of health and benefits only works if everyone does his of her bit. It's not a burdensome cost to do the right thing.

Re: National Insurance Contributions
 

Can you elaborate on your point here?

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How much is it per year? And does it only matter if you end of retiring in the UK?

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Me? I think it's a fairly simple one, state funding of benefits such as pensions depends on the participation of all of society. One should pay one's NI as one should pay one's taxes.

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Even if you have no intention of living in the UK again?

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Of course. It's not the fault of an inclusive society that some people choose to opt out for a period. People say they'll go and live on a desert island or in some barren wasteland forever but few of them turn out to mean it. If they don't keep up their contributions then, when Shangri-La turns out not to be all that, they'll return and struggle to catch up.

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Back in 2014 i paid 6 years class 2 contributions in one lump sum to bring me up to the maximum number of years to get the full pension, the total amount i paid was 683 quid. With voluntary class 2 contributions you dont have to pay a full NI contribution as you are basically just paying to increase your pension you are not paying for all the rest of the stuff that you would pay for if you were still working in the UK. the contribution rate for 2019 is 3 quid a week (156 a year) so it has gone up a bit since 2014, but in my opinion it was money well spent especially considering that the pension is frozen for people abroad.

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The $780 payment per missing year is the full payment, living abroad can qualify you for Class 2 payments which as Cheltonian points out is much cheaper - so you get a significant pension increase for very little extra payment.

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I pay these people https://www.uk2canadapensiontransfers.com/ a small fee to look after it.

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You have to fill out a form and request to pay Class 2 and they tell you if you qualify - but yes certainly should do - I haven't sent the form in yet.

Re: National Insurance Contributions
 

This remains a mystery to me. I was short of only three years and according to the conditions I would not qualify for the lowest rate. But I applied and they confirmed I did. It's a good example of how such things are just guides and not a complete set of conditions.