UK Pension - extending the top-up contribution deadline - Have I made the 5 April cut-off deadline?

[AntarcticFinance]

If there is anyone here who is familiar with the current UK NI contribution back payment deadline on 5 April 2025 and how the system works, I'd really appreciate your thoughts.


I am a UK citizen who lived in the UK until graduating university. After graduation I moved to Japan and have been living here ever since (about 20 years). I recently became aware that I hadn’t paid any NI contributions since then and have all the years since then missing, hence want to pay back the years from 2006 onwards. As reported here and in the media extensively, the deadline for making back payments is 5 April 2025, two days from now!

I have found a lot of conflicting advice on how to apply to make top-up payments, but it seems that you have to get through to the Future Pension Centre (FPC) first on the phone and get their assessment, and only then contact HMRC to receive a 16-digit number that you can use to make back payments.

The Future Pension Centre and HMRC lines are understandable overwhelmed at the moment and I haven’t been able to get through. I’ll keep trying until 5 April, but for the time being I’ve done both of the following:

1. Requested a call back from the FPS and have timestamped it by email for proof (apparently this stops the clock?)

2. Submitted a CF83 form for overseas residents to HMRC asking to pay back past years (hopefully this also 'stops the clock')

Both the FPC and HMRC will clearly take longer than 5 April to get back to me, but does mean I should be able to pay back all the way to 2006 since I contacted them before the deadline? I honestly wasn't sure if I needed to contact the FPS, submit a CF83 or both so just did both.

Is there anything else I need to be doing? Apologies for the many questions, this is quite new to me and I’ve read as much as I can on here but want to be doubly sure. I appreciate this is very UK specific.

Thanks and good luck to anyone in the same position!

[soundofsilver]

Hello! We are in almost exactly the same boat, only I submitted the CF83 form a little while ago and got a letter back from HRMC a week or two ago. Also, I was able to get through to the Future Pension Centre and they told me I would get a call back in... 8 weeks. They told me that they had "logged my request" and gave me the exact date and time of this. I posted about this in this thread:

viewtopic.php?t=463&start=80#top

I have similarly been worrying about this, but, basically I think you / I have "stopped the clock". To answer your questions specifically:

1. Requested a call back from the FPS and have timestamped it by email for proof (apparently this stops the clock?)

The language on this page is pretty unambiguous, so if you've done it, I would hope the clock has stopped:
https://secure.dwp.gov.uk/request-a-cal ... ntact-form

"If you submit a request by the 5 April 2025 deadline, you will still be able to pay voluntary National Insurance contributions after the deadline has passed."

Even though the FPC told me on the phone that they had logged my request for callback, I still submitted this form as a backup.

(Side question: how did you get it "timestamped by email"? I didn't get an email and there's no where to enter an address?)

2. Submitted a CF83 form for overseas residents to HMRC asking to pay back past years (hopefully this also 'stops the clock')

Less sure about this, but hopefully yes.

Let me know if you manage to get through to them and what they say!

[AntarcticFinance]

Hello! We are in almost exactly the same boat, only I submitted the CF83 form a little while ago and got a letter back from HRMC a week or two ago. Also, I was able to get through to the Future Pension Centre and they told me I would get a call back in... 8 weeks. They told me that they had "logged my request" and gave me the exact date and time of this. I posted about this in this thread:

viewtopic.php?t=463&start=80#top

I have similarly been worrying about this, but, basically I think you / I have "stopped the clock". To answer your questions specifically:

1. Requested a call back from the FPS and have timestamped it by email for proof (apparently this stops the clock?)

The language on this page is pretty unambiguous, so if you've done it, I would hope the clock has stopped:
https://secure.dwp.gov.uk/request-a-cal ... ntact-form

"If you submit a request by the 5 April 2025 deadline, you will still be able to pay voluntary National Insurance contributions after the deadline has passed."

Even though the FPC told me on the phone that they had logged my request for callback, I still submitted this form as a backup.

(Side question: how did you get it "timestamped by email"? I didn't get an email and there's no where to enter an address?)

His SoS, thanks for your reply! OK, that is my understanding too, although it's hard to be 100% sure, so you can understand my concern and wanting to see other people's experience.

To answer your question, I saved the webpage saying that I had submitted a call back request as a pdf, and then emailed it to myself as an attachment to 'timestamp' a date before the deadline. This was advice given out by Martin Lewis on MSE as a fall back to 'prove' you did it within the deadline in case they deny any record of me applying for a call back, however unlikely that might be.

It does sound then that even if I get through on the phone to the FPC, they'll just put me down for another callback and won't actually deal with the request on the phone. I guess it's worth a try though as everyone's mileage may vary.

2. Submitted a CF83 form for overseas residents to HMRC asking to pay back past years (hopefully this also 'stops the clock')

Less sure about this, but hopefully yes.

Let me know if you manage to get through to them and what they say!

Yes, let's see. Hopefully with both of those actions taken, I have a strong case. I will report back here on how everything goes in case it's useful.

You seem pretty knowledgeable about this process. Do you know, is it required to receive a reply to your submitted CF83 form before calling the FPC? I could just call up the HMRC and ask for the 16 digit payment number, but I guess not much point if they haven't processed my CF83 and/or I haven't spoken with the FPC first. I am reading online that you have to speak with the FPC first before HMRC will issue the payment number? Bit confused about that part tbh.

Good luck to both of us anyway

[Tkydon]

If uou have a bank account in the UK

https://www.gov.uk/pay-class-2-national ... k-transfer

[AntarcticFinance]

If uou have a bank account in the UK

https://www.gov.uk/pay-class-2-national ... k-transfer

Thanks Tkydon. I do actually have a UK bank account and have money sitting in it ready to go. The link you sent is for Class 2 contributions though, and HMRC haven't yet processed my CF83 form. When I check my national insurance record on gov.uk, it saying I need to pay £824.20 for each year that I haven't been paying into the system. That would be class 3 I guess. Happy to pay that amount, as it's still worth it assuming I live a few years beyond retirement age.

I wonder if I should just pay them the money to beat the deadline and then sort it out later using the link you sent...? It's a risk I suppose. Really not sure what to do...

[soundofsilver]

I am the same situation: online seems to show class 3 but my letter from HRMC shows the low class 2 amounts. I've also been thinking about paying to beat the deadline (this is what allatsea did, see the other thread I linked to earlier), but after having spoken to friends, they convinced me to just wait for the callback. Like I said above, I do think we are probably "safe" now that we've requested a call back based on the pretty unambiguous language they use.

Thanks for the explaining about emailing yourself. I did not do this... oh well.

[Tkydon]

If uou have a bank account in the UK

https://www.gov.uk/pay-class-2-national ... k-transfer

Thanks Tkydon. I do actually have a UK bank account and have money sitting in it ready to go. The link you sent is for Class 2 contributions though, and HMRC haven't yet processed my CF83 form. When I check my national insurance record on gov.uk, it saying I need to pay £824.20 for each year that I haven't been paying into the system. That would be class 3 I guess. Happy to pay that amount, as it's still worth it assuming I live a few years beyond retirement age.

I wonder if I should just pay them the money to beat the deadline and then sort it out later using the link you sent...? It's a risk I suppose. Really not sure what to do...

The bank details for transfer are the same: Their Account, and your Reference = NI Number followed by 'IC' followed by your Surname and Initial(s) if they fit...

Yes, £824.20 is for Class 3, if you meet the other criteria while you were back in the UK to qualify to pay Class 2 Contributions, then the will allow you to pay Class 2 for periods when you were in employment or self employed, but Class 3 when you were unemployed or out of work... You would have to provide a full work history since you left the UK for them to determine whether you would qualify for Class 2 contributions for some or all of the time.
If you qualify for Class 2, it would be either £163.80 or £166.95 per year, depending on the year...

[AntarcticFinance]

If uou have a bank account in the UK

https://www.gov.uk/pay-class-2-national ... k-transfer

Thanks Tkydon. I do actually have a UK bank account and have money sitting in it ready to go. The link you sent is for Class 2 contributions though, and HMRC haven't yet processed my CF83 form. When I check my national insurance record on gov.uk, it saying I need to pay £824.20 for each year that I haven't been paying into the system. That would be class 3 I guess. Happy to pay that amount, as it's still worth it assuming I live a few years beyond retirement age.

I wonder if I should just pay them the money to beat the deadline and then sort it out later using the link you sent...? It's a risk I suppose. Really not sure what to do...

The bank details for transfer are the same: Their Account, and your Reference = NI Number followed by 'IC' followed by your Surname and Initial(s) if they fit...

Yes, £824.20 is for Class 3, if you meet the other criteria while you were back in the UK to qualify to pay Class 2 Contributions, then the will allow you to pay Class 2 for periods when you were in employment or self employed, but Class 3 when you were unemployed or out of work... You would have to provide a full work history since you left the UK for them to determine whether you would qualify for Class 2 contributions for some or all of the time.
If you qualify for Class 2, it would be either £163.80 or £166.95 per year, depending on the year...

Thanks very much for this. Using your bank transfer formula above, I could just go ahead and pay tomorrow and be in time for the 5 April 2025 deadline. In terms of payment, apparently HRMC doesn't care where the money comes from, as long as I use the correct reference for those paying from abroad. However, if the result of my CF83 application is that I actually only need to pay class 2, then I'd be wasting a lot of money over 16 years' of back payments.

I called DWP FPC today and after a 30 minute wait was put through to someone who wasn’t a pensions advisor, rather just someone who took my name, DOB, NI number and Japan phone number and put me in the call-back queue. He confirmed it would take up to 8 weeks for a pensions advisor to get back to me, and they would send me a text message one day beforehand to confirm when they were calling.

He also confirmed that even if they call back after the deadline (which is what will happen), I would be fine to pay back payments all the way to 2006. He also said that I need to speak to FPC first before submitted a CF83 form (although I've done that already to timestamp before the deadline). So it would seem that even if you are able to reach FPC through on the phone at the moment, they aren’t able to help you anyway so it's probably best to just wait for the call back.

At this point, it seems I should be safe so I am going to wait for the call back and not pay. Some risk, but let's see... thanks everyone. I'll update what happens.

[AntarcticFinance]

I am the same situation: online seems to show class 3 but my letter from HRMC shows the low class 2 amounts. I've also been thinking about paying to beat the deadline (this is what allatsea did, see the other thread I linked to earlier), but after having spoken to friends, they convinced me to just wait for the callback. Like I said above, I do think we are probably "safe" now that we've requested a call back based on the pretty unambiguous language they use.

Thanks for the explaining about emailing yourself. I did not do this... oh well.

Great! Let's report back here on how we get on in due course. Best of luck to both of us!

[Tkydon]

Thanks very much for this. Using your bank transfer formula above, I could just go ahead and pay tomorrow and be in time for the 5 April 2025 deadline. In terms of payment, apparently HRMC doesn't care where the money comes from, as long as I use the correct reference for those paying from abroad. However, if the result of my CF83 application is that I actually only need to pay class 2, then I'd be wasting a lot of money over 16 years' of back payments.

I called DWP FPC today and after a 30 minute wait was put through to someone who wasn’t a pensions advisor, rather just someone who took my name, DOB, NI number and Japan phone number and put me in the call-back queue. He confirmed it would take up to 8 weeks for a pensions advisor to get back to me, and they would send me a text message one day beforehand to confirm when they were calling.

He also confirmed that even if they call back after the deadline (which is what will happen), I would be fine to pay back payments all the way to 2006. He also said that I need to speak to FPC first before submitted a CF83 form (although I've done that already to timestamp before the deadline). So it would seem that even if you are able to reach FPC through on the phone at the moment, they aren’t able to help you anyway so it's probably best to just wait for the call back.

At this point, it seems I should be safe so I am going to wait for the call back and not pay. Some risk, but let's see... thanks everyone. I'll update what happens.

If you over pay, they will give you the choice of a Credit against subsequent years' contributions or provide a refund once they have confirmed that you were qualified to pay Class 2 Contributions.

You can pay up to 2018-19, for which the Deadline is this year, 5-Apr-2025

Subsequent years can wait, as they will be subject to the 6 Year Deadline:
2019-20 - 5-Apr-2026
2020-21 - 5-Apr-2027
2021-22 - 5-Apr-2028
2022-23 - 5-Apr-2029
2023-24 - 5-Apr-2030
2024-25 - 5-Apr-2031

And so on. Reimbursement Credits could be assigned to pay those years, until you reach your fully Qualified 35 Years... and then any surplus refunded.