Class 2 NI. What about us poor expats paying voluntary contributions?
#751
Forum Regular
Joined: Jan 2012
Location: Mesa, Arizona
Posts: 64
Re: Class 2 NI. What about us poor expats paying voluntary contributions?
It looks like you can now apply on-line: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-to...en-abroad-cf83
I just applied online for my wife - wish they'd done that sooner
#752
Re: Class 2 NI. What about us poor expats paying voluntary contributions?
The sort code is part of the IBAN, it's the six digits preceding the account number, which is the last set of digits in the IBAN string. (There may be some zeros added in front of your account number (so between the sort code and the account number), to bring it up to a standard length.)
Last edited by Pulaski; Mar 25th 2024 at 4:31 pm.
#753
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2002
Location: texas
Posts: 910
Re: Class 2 NI. What about us poor expats paying voluntary contributions?
OK, need some advice. We have finally been able to sign up for the Government Gateway thanks to the new app, to check on our NI records and apply to buy NI stamps.
My application was straight forward as I did not work before coming over here and being in receipt of child benefit. I only worked for a few years here, while the money draining sprogs were in University, so don't qualify for US SS. On my appplication, I put down our departure date as March 2000, as you can't claim Child Benefit, once you are aboard.
My husband's is much more complex. When we came over in 2000, he was on secondment for nearly 2 years. That means even though he was working here, he was actually paid in the UK. In 2002, he transferred to the work place here, officially. Since then the company he orignally work for no longer exists in the UK, so has no address except as an off shoot and his company here became a separate company. The company has changed hands again since then,
Question: although we left in March 2000, he was still paying NI contributions up Feb 2002. How does he fill in the form for date of departure. Does he put in March 2000 or Feb 2002?
No address exists for the company in the UK.
He only has 5 yrs to pay, as he made a voluntary payment just before the 35 yr rule came into being, so I am not even sure it's worth the effort, unlike myself who only had 23 yrs. Hopefully, I can make missing years up, as it would nice to have some money of my own for a change. I worked out, it will cost me the equivilant of just under 1 yr of pension to make for those years, so it seems worthwhile.
My application was straight forward as I did not work before coming over here and being in receipt of child benefit. I only worked for a few years here, while the money draining sprogs were in University, so don't qualify for US SS. On my appplication, I put down our departure date as March 2000, as you can't claim Child Benefit, once you are aboard.
My husband's is much more complex. When we came over in 2000, he was on secondment for nearly 2 years. That means even though he was working here, he was actually paid in the UK. In 2002, he transferred to the work place here, officially. Since then the company he orignally work for no longer exists in the UK, so has no address except as an off shoot and his company here became a separate company. The company has changed hands again since then,
Question: although we left in March 2000, he was still paying NI contributions up Feb 2002. How does he fill in the form for date of departure. Does he put in March 2000 or Feb 2002?
No address exists for the company in the UK.
He only has 5 yrs to pay, as he made a voluntary payment just before the 35 yr rule came into being, so I am not even sure it's worth the effort, unlike myself who only had 23 yrs. Hopefully, I can make missing years up, as it would nice to have some money of my own for a change. I worked out, it will cost me the equivilant of just under 1 yr of pension to make for those years, so it seems worthwhile.
Last edited by jjmb; Mar 25th 2024 at 8:22 pm.
#754
Re: Class 2 NI. What about us poor expats paying voluntary contributions?
It looks like you can now apply on-line: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-to...en-abroad-cf83
Just applied again, hopefully this doesn't confuse HMRC
#755
Re: Class 2 NI. What about us poor expats paying voluntary contributions?
.... Question: although we left in March 2000, he was still paying NI contributions up Feb 2002. How does he fill in the form for date of departure. Does he put in March 2000 or Feb 2002?
No address exists for the company in the UK.
He only has 5 yrs to pay, as he made a voluntary payment just before the 35 yr rule came into being, so I am not even sure it's worth the effort, unlike myself who only had 23 yrs. Hopefully, I can make missing years up, as it would nice to have some money of my own for a change. I worked out, it will cost me the equivilant of just under 1 yr of pension to make for those years, so it seems worthwhile.
No address exists for the company in the UK.
He only has 5 yrs to pay, as he made a voluntary payment just before the 35 yr rule came into being, so I am not even sure it's worth the effort, unlike myself who only had 23 yrs. Hopefully, I can make missing years up, as it would nice to have some money of my own for a change. I worked out, it will cost me the equivilant of just under 1 yr of pension to make for those years, so it seems worthwhile.
Your husband's situation is more than a little strange, and I don't recall seeing one like it, where someone left the UK, but continued having NI deducted from his pay. .... I would go with using the date of him coming off the UK payroll (ceasing NI contributions deducted from his pay), as the day he left, as that is when he functionally left. If he tries to use the date he physically left the UK, I can imagine that causing confusion somewhere down the line when the date doesn't line up with his payroll deducted NI contributions.
Last edited by Pulaski; Mar 26th 2024 at 1:39 am.
#756
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 526
Re: Class 2 NI. What about us poor expats paying voluntary contributions?
I would go with using the date of him coming off the UK payroll (ceasing NI contributions deducted from his pay), as the day he left, as that is when he functionally left. If he tries to use the date he physically left the UK, I can imagine that causing confusion somewhere down the line when the date doesn't line up with his payroll deducted NI contributions.
#757
Forum Regular
Joined: Jul 2022
Location: SoCal
Posts: 63
Re: Class 2 NI. What about us poor expats paying voluntary contributions?
But does anyone know *why* it is so generous? Did someone slip in a typo when the legislation was written (maybe it should have been 13.15, not 3.15 per week......😕)?
#758
BE Enthusiast
Joined: May 2019
Posts: 350
Re: Class 2 NI. What about us poor expats paying voluntary contributions?
Maybe someone in a high place is good at lobbying for it But then again for the really wealthy it's small change (unlike say non-dom)
#759
Re: Class 2 NI. What about us poor expats paying voluntary contributions?
Last edited by Pulaski; Mar 27th 2024 at 12:33 am.