Voluntary UK pension contribution

[beanhead]

I don't think you can't go as far back as far as the 1990s anyway. I think the longest you can go back is 20 years... or maybe to 1999... I may be wrong.

You are right but in the application you have to list your whole working history, both before leaving the UK and after. Then somehow, they decide if you meet the requirements for Class 2 or 3.

[Tkydon]

I don't think you can't go as far back as far as the 1990s anyway. I think the longest you can go back is 20 years... or maybe to 1999... I may be wrong.

You are right but in the application you have to list your whole working history, both before leaving the UK and after. Then somehow, they decide if you meet the requirements for Class 2 or 3.

If you are in employment that year, Class 2. Otherwise Class 3...

[allatsea]

When I phoned, I was told to list all employment since leaving the UK. Therefore, I had to include information from the 1990s.

I wasn't sure of my employment status immediately before I left the UK and I was advised to answer as follows and explain in a cover letter:
Q: What was your employment status before you left the UK?
A: Neither employed or self-employed.
Q: Were you receiving Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) before you left the UK?
A: I do not know.

The online form didn't have a section to include UK working history, so I didn't list any UK employers. Perhaps if you answer "Neither employed or self-employed.", it skips this section.

[Tkydon]

When I phoned, I was told to list all employment since leaving the UK. Therefore, I had to include information from the 1990s.

I wasn't sure of my employment status immediately before I left the UK and I was advised to answer as follows and explain in a cover letter:
Q: What was your employment status before you left the UK?
A: Neither employed or self-employed.
Q: Were you receiving Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) before you left the UK?
A: I do not know.

The online form didn't have a section to include UK working history, so I didn't list any UK employers. Perhaps if you answer "Neither employed or self-employed.", it skips this section.

They will have a full record of your UK employment history on file.

[kuma]

When I phoned, I was told to list all employment since leaving the UK. Therefore, I had to include information from the 1990s.

I wasn't sure of my employment status immediately before I left the UK and I was advised to answer as follows and explain in a cover letter:
Q: What was your employment status before you left the UK?
A: Neither employed or self-employed.
Q: Were you receiving Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) before you left the UK?
A: I do not know.

The online form didn't have a section to include UK working history, so I didn't list any UK employers. Perhaps if you answer "Neither employed or self-employed.", it skips this section.

Section 3 (Employment) of the paper form CF83 shows how questions are skipped if you were neither employed nor self employed before leaving the UK: 


[The paper form in PDF format is somewhat buried online now but can be accessed via this link.]

They will have a full record of your UK employment history on file.

Indeed.

But this information is requested of applicants who were employed before leaving the UK (see images above and below):


"What you'll need" section of gov.uk "Apply to pay voluntary national insurance contributions when abroad" guidance

UK employment history is retrievable via an HMRC Subject Access Request (SAR).

[kuma]

Apols for the failed images in the previous post.

Links were provided to Form CF83 (intended image was of Section 3) and "Apply to pay voluntary national insurance contributions when abroad" (intended image was of the "What you'll need" section); the intended information can be accessed via these links.

[allatsea]

They will have a full record of your UK employment history on file.

When I explained I wasn't sure of my status when I left the UK, I was told they could check. I wanted to send everything while I was in England over the summer, so this was a better solution than applying to get information about my previous UK employers in order to complete the form.