Hi guys,

I heard from a colleague that if you work in the US you have to continue to pay UK national insurance? Does anyone know if this is the case?

Thanks for your help

If you do, it's probably dependent on a lot of details not included in your post.

I was told it was a legal requirement if you want to be eligible for a state penion when you retire. I should add I am some 30-years minimum away from retiring.

I work in the US. I don't pay NI tax.

It's not a legal requirement, but having said that, if you are going to be claiming a UK pension after you retire, it really is a good idea to keep up the payments, it's a lot easier to pay it weekly/monthly, rather than pay a lump sum later on to keep it topped up.

Of course if you are going to move permanently to the US, you can stop paying it if you think you will be eligible for a US pension, although (and someone please correct me if I am wrong) I think I have read on here that you can claim both?

Stop it.

Wot?! I should start? <g>

You can, if you've contributed enough in both countries....other wise credit paid in the US could be used to top up UK contributions if needed.

I work in the USA. I pay Tax. Plus National Insurance.

I had read something about the US/UK agreement a while back.
To tell the truth I wish I'd kept up payments in the UK I'm pretty sure that's where we'll be when we retire. You can only back pay two years at a time can't you?

Go to to direct.gov on the uk msn home pge it will tell you everything you need to know.

I work in the USA. I pay Tax. I don't pay National Insurance.

Is this a game? Do I win a prize?

I'm pretty sure that you have seven or eight years to make up a (specific) lost tax year.

SNAP!

I think I win?

There was a thread about this recently, do a search. I had posted in it. It basically depends on the contract structure whether you have to pay NI or US SS.

If you have to pay NI you dont have to pay US SS. If you have to pay US SS you dony have to pay UK NI. If you pay US SS you MAY pay UK class 2 NI by choice to keep up entitlement to retirement benefits etc.

It may outline everything, but to be clear it is very dependent on the wording of an individual employment agreement.