RetireJapan

adamu wrote: ↑Sun Mar 24, 2019 7:33 am I wonder if the fact you were studying before leaving had any effect.

Possibly... Even though I have 4 years of NI contributions, I have never had a full time job in the UK, only summer work or temping agency part time jobs. If I was making sufficient contributions from those I'd be very surprised seeing how irregular the hours were... Maybe if you're in full-time education, the contribution thresholds are much lower...

I'm so in shock about lucking out with class 2 repayments, I'm almost waiting for the letter/phonecall to say they made a mistake. I won't really be able to sleep easy until those Direct Debit repayments start early next month...

I think when you are in full-time education you get full years' worth of contributions. When I check my records it says 'full year paid' for the years I was at university.

goodandbadjapan wrote: ↑Sun Mar 24, 2019 12:28 pm I think when you are in full-time education you get full years' worth of contributions.

I just checked my NI record online and my four complete years are from 1996~2000. In 1996 I was a high school student, then sixth form college till 1999... During that time, my only employment were summer jobs at the local veggie farm! For university I have two incomplete years!? Hahaha! Who knows what's going on...

I have full years for my 6th form years (16-18) but nothing for university...

Just double-checked and you are right - it's not for my university years, it's for my last three years of school. Well, the last of those I was in school and then in university, so who knows what counts! My full university years are not paid up.

Resurrecting this to point out that free school years are probably starter credits, which were discontinued in 2010.

https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manual ... l/nim41210

adamu wrote: ↑Wed Sep 08, 2021 3:12 pm Resurrecting this to point out that free school years are probably starter credits, which were discontinued in 2010.

https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manual ... l/nim41210

Thanks for that. Very useful to know.

Bushiman wrote: ↑Sun Mar 24, 2019 10:49 am
I'm so in shock about lucking out with class 2 repayments, I'm almost waiting for the letter/phonecall to say they made a mistake. I won't really be able to sleep easy until those Direct Debit repayments start early next month...

Same here. I got the back-payment sorted out quickly, in case they change their minds ...of course the Class 2 payments may not be an option in the future, as well, in which case we will all be paying Class 3.

So what exactly are we supposed to put for the “ordinarily resident” part?
I’m just filling out the form now, and have no idea. I’ve lived continuously in Japan for 2 years, have no intention of returning to the uk. Before moving here I was at university in uk for 3 years whilst also working part time. Before that I was on a student visa in Japan for 15 months or so. Before that working full time in uk for 1 year. Then before that I was on a working holiday visa in Japan for 1 year. Then before that working full time and part time jobs for about 5 years.
According to my hmrc record I have 7 full years of contributions.
So am I ordinarily resident in uk? I don’t really want to call them up as way too costly. Should I just leave it blank with a letter explaining the situation I just described?

KCLenny wrote: ↑Tue Sep 28, 2021 5:19 am I don’t really want to call them up as way too costly.

Slightly off-topic, but you can use skype to call the UK for 2.5 yen per minute. That's how I dealt with HMRC and their endless phone loops.