mmhendrie

Folks...wondering if anyone's found a way through this, I feel like i'm caught in a loop......I'm trying to work out my NI situation so I can make voluntary payments. I'm a Brit, living in the US for the last 25yrs, left the UK aged 20. I created a Govt Gateway login, but I can't get through the ID verification process. It asks for my name, birthday, NI number and, if you don't know your NI number, a UK postcode. Trouble is, I don't know my NI number, and can't find a reference to it. I did find an old payslip, but its from 1995, from the MOD, and doesn't have my NI on it. Living in the US, I don't have a UK postcode, I've tried the last few postcodes I had in the UK in the 90s, but none work. I tried calling - yesterday after 20 minutes on hold, the automated msg said they were busy, and hung up. Today, I did an hour on hold, at 59mins it said "1 minute remaining" and then hung up. There is a form to fill out to apply by mail, but it asks for UK based verification info I don't have. There use to be an app you could verify using your passport, but it says the closed that facility in April '23.

Really stuck as to what to do next...has anyone been through this...any advice?
thanks,
-M

RICH

I was not able to register last year, but I got through by phone and was given a form to fill and address to send it. I have not done it yet, slacker that I am.

MidAtlantic

Don't you also have a choice of credit information?

Earlier this year my wife registered from the USA. She got to a point where she could use one of three things for identity: Passport, Driving Licence and Credit Information. She used passport and credit info. Passport was easy.. just factual. Credit info was several questions like "when did you last open a new credit card" and the answer always was "at least six years ago/never". There was also the common question about which of the following addresses are you associated with, and the answer was "none of them". Amazingly the credit info stuff worked, even though we had left the UK in 2009.

Pollyana

You can fill in a form and do it by post, its slow but its an option.

https://www.gov.uk/government/public...butions-ca3916

durham_lad

You may be able to find your NI number through this site

https://www.gov.uk/lost-national-insurance-number

mmhendrie

just to follow-up. I was finally able to get through on my third attempt of calling and spoke to someone. She was able to quickly find me in the system, but I was unable to get my NI over the phone and I needed to submit a form, via mail, and request the number be mailed to me, which I have since done. My next step, once I have the number, will be to apply to make voluntary contributions, going back as many years as they will let me.

Does anyone have any experience in qualifying for Class 2/Class 3 contributions? Obviously, I'm desperately hoping to qualify as Class 2 with the substantially lower payment. On the face of it, it would seem unlikely I would qualify for the lower class 2 rates: I left the UK, aged 20, in the late 1990's, and have lived in the States ever since. I only worked full time in the UK for a few months total, but did make NI contributions. I return annually to visit, however, have not lived or worked in the UK for over 25yrs. However, this is on the UK Gov site:

**********************************************

Class 2 National Insurance contributions

You may be able to pay Class 2 National Insurance contributions to help you qualify for contributory Employment and Support Allowance when you get back to the UK, as well as State Pension, Maternity Allowance and Bereavement Support Payment.

You can pay Class 2 National Insurance contributions if you’re employed or self-employed abroad and if you satisfy either of the following conditions:

1. (a) You’ve lived in the UK for a continuous 3-year period at any time before the period for which National Insurance contributions are to be paid, or
   
   (b) Before going abroad, you paid National Insurance:
   
   (i) from April 1975 to give 3 qualifying years, or
   (ii) from April 1975 to give 2 qualifying years and paid 52 National Insurance contributions (of any Class) before 6 April 1975, or
   (iii) from April 1975 to give 1 qualifying year and paid 104 National Insurance contributions (of any Class) before 6 April 1975, or
   (iv) 156 National Insurance contributions (of any Class) before 6 April 1975
   this will be checked when you ask to pay Class 2 National Insurance contributions, and
2. In addition to meeting condition 1(a) or 1(b), you must also, immediately before going abroad, have been ordinarily an employed or self-employed earner in the UK.

If you lived or worked in an EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland or Turkey, time spent there may help you to meet condition 1(a) or 1(b).

You cannot pay Class 2 National Insurance contributions for any period during which you’re liable to pay Class 1 National Insurance contributions.
************************************************** ************************************************** **********************************************

So - 1(a) - I did live in the UK for a continuous period of 3yrs or more - '80s & '90s.
2. - I was working and making NI contributions immediately before I immigrated to the States - only about 2-3 months of full time work though.

So based on this - if I'm reading this right, I check the box for 1(a) and 2...meaning I should be eligible for Class 2 contributions. However...i dunno, it just seems like a pretty loose qualification...I mean, I feel like if i qualify, wouldn't pretty much anyone?! Anyone have experience with this?

thanks,
M

durham_lad

Reads like you qualify to me. I would apply and see what comes back.

Twitcher1958

I wouldn’t overthink it - looks like you may qualify, so apply. What’s the worst that can happen? They certainly won’t offer it to you if you don’t apply.

Frankie0089

I have had exactly the same frustrating experience. I was unable to verify my identity online as I only had a passport and they required a minimum of two documents. I tried the credit history route to no avail and eventually wrote to them. A few months later I received a paper statement along with the comment that I could improve my entitlement by paying the gap payments, but they didn’t mention how to actually pay them. I feel stuck, I can’t do anything online because of that “verification” barrier. If anyone can point me to an application form and where to send it, I’d be really grateful.

mmhendrie

so, not sure if this is exactly what you need...but i did get my situation resolved. I followed this link:

https://www.gov.uk/lost-national-insurance-number

And submitted the form, via mail, to get a mailed copy of my NI number - mailed to my parents who still live in England. That worked, and I got my NI number. I then used it create a website login - I had to download an app to scan the chip in my UK passport, and then my phone scanned my face, but the two together, and it verified me. I don't have a 2nd form of UK ID either - but the chipped passport was all I needed. I was then able to log in. the online system shows each year I was paid in for, and all those i was missing, and gives me the option to pay the missing ones. It does have me at the class 3 rate, which is much higher than class 2. I believe I should be class 2, but my grounds for that are such that they are likely unaware of that, so my next piece is to submit a request to be assessed at class 2. Hope it helps.

Frankie0089

Thanks so much for the response. I did try this and fo some unlucky reason, it said the app was not compatible with my phone. When I upgraded my phone, I was no longer able to access the QR code to scan…. So frustrating!

mmhendrie

do you have a good friend or family member's device you can use just to get that bit done? I haven't use the app again, once the verification went through, that was it - don't need to use my phone for it anymore. FYI, i did it on an android phone.

Oxfordite

I qualified for class 2s and it sounds like you would too. Very important is that working immediately before you left the country, they are fussy about that.

Frankie0089

Thanks for this suggestion. My brother is actually visiting next month so I’ll see if I can get it to work on his phone. I have an Android too with a US provider, although I don’t see why that should make a difference. Thanks again.