RetireJapan

bryanc wrote: ↑Fri May 24, 2024 1:40 pm I just recv'd a letter today saying that I had been accepted for class 2 payments even though I had been paying class 3 up til now and was rejected for class 2 payments previously due to never working in full time job in UK before coming to Japan..

No idea what is going on but fell like I have won the lottery !joy of joys! Thanks to all on here for their help with this..mystified as to why it was changed

Merry Xmas and Happy Birthday
I just paid my yearly amount for last year (I think) the other day. Just have to remember to do it each year.
I have seen reports of online payments being possible via the gateway site, but didn't find a way to do it myself.

I hadn't even applied for class 2. When I went to pay my class 3 contributions a while ago was told acct was shut
And would need to reapply to pay in.. took me a yr or so to get round to doing it,but when I did I recv'd a letter in 8 weeks saying eligible for class 2...
Wonderful news..

beanhead wrote: ↑Fri May 24, 2024 1:54 pm

bryanc wrote: ↑Fri May 24, 2024 1:40 pm I just recv'd a letter today saying that I had been accepted for class 2 payments even though I had been paying class 3 up til now and was rejected for class 2 payments previously due to never working in full time job in UK before coming to Japan..

No idea what is going on but fell like I have won the lottery !joy of joys! Thanks to all on here for their help with this..mystified as to why it was changed

Merry Xmas and Happy Birthday
I just paid my yearly amount for last year (I think) the other day. Just have to remember to do it each year.
I have seen reports of online payments being possible via the gateway site, but didn't find a way to do it myself.

Many thanks!!
Just have to make sure I don't get kicked back to the class 3 ..wonder if there is anything I need to be careful with...
I can backpay 22-23 and 23-24... Can I also pay for 24- 25 as it's after April now?
What a joyous surprise! Had written that I was paying class 3 but thought I should be class 2 as a throwaway comment and seems to have worked ...

Presuming it would be too outrageously cheeky to demand class 3 payments already paid to be taken at the class 2 rate and difference returned!?? Lol

bryanc wrote: ↑Fri May 24, 2024 2:01 pm Presuming it would be too outrageously cheeky to demand class 3 payments already paid to be taken at the class 2 rate and difference returned!?? Lol

Good luck with that negotiation...

“The Chancellor has described the abolition of Class 2 NIC as a simplification measure for the self-employed. However, it is not an immediate abolition, because Class 2 will continue to exist for those who wish to make voluntary contributions, at least in the short term.5 The self-employed with the lowest profits (under £6,725) will not therefore see any simplification from 6 April 2024.

“That said, we can see that a full and immediate abolition of Class 2 could have meant that those earning small amounts of self-employed profits who make voluntary Class 2 contributions might alternatively have had to pay more expensive Class 3 NIC to preserve their entitlement to state benefits, including the state pension.6 So preserving Class 2 as a voluntary system, subject to consultation on wider reform, is a sensible interim step.


looks like class 2 voluntary contributions will eventually be scrapped....!

What's the source of that Bryan?

Beaglehound wrote: ↑Mon May 27, 2024 5:56 am What's the source of that Bryan?

Not Bryan, but I found this:

https://www.litrg.org.uk/press-release/ ... st-incomes

beanhead wrote: ↑Sat Jun 01, 2024 10:56 pm

Beaglehound wrote: ↑Mon May 27, 2024 5:56 am What's the source of that Bryan?

Not Bryan, but I found this:

https://www.litrg.org.uk/press-release/ ... st-incomes

Good find. So not directly from government but it does seem they aren't finished with reforming it. Whether the likely change of government will have any effect I guess we shall see.

Just in case you missed northSaver's post from page 2 (emphasis mine):

northSaver wrote: ↑Wed Nov 22, 2023 11:35 pm I've just found this on https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... -factsheet:

"Those with profits under £6,725 and others who pay Class 2 NICs voluntarily to get access to contributory benefits including the State Pension, will continue to be able to do so."