Eligibility Questions
You can make voluntary contributions if you're a UK national or have previously lived and worked in the UK, are aged 16 or over but under State Pension age, and have gaps in your National Insurance record.
Yes, the length of time you've been abroad doesn't affect your eligibility, as long as you have a UK National Insurance number and previous UK connection. However, there are time limits for paying voluntary contributions - typically you can pay for the previous 6 years, with some exceptions.
If you're already receiving your UK State Pension, you cannot make voluntary contributions to increase it. However, if you're approaching State Pension age but haven't claimed yet, you may still be able to make contributions to boost your pension before claiming. This isn't something we can assist with, and you would need to speak directly with HMRC on this matter.
Yes, you can often make voluntary contributions while working abroad. Whether you’re paying into another country’s system under a reciprocal agreement doesn’t necessarily prevent you from contributing to the UK system. Each case is different, so we’ll assess your eligibility based on your UK work history and personal circumstances.
Process & Timeline
From our side, we don't usually need too long to help you process the application. Once we receive all the information we need from you we can then prepare the information and work together to complete the application - this is generally done within 1-2 weeks. This includes obtaining your National Insurance record, analyzing gaps, & preparing application data. The only unknown variable is the response time from the HMRC once the application is made. This can vary but at a very minimum we expect it to be at least 4 weeks or more.
Within 24 hours of payment, we'll be in touch to discuss moving forward with your application and requesting information from you. A dedicated case manager will be assigned to your case, and we'll work with you to obtain your National Insurance record from HMRC immediately.
No, the entire process can be completed remotely. There's no need to visit the UK.
If HMRC requests additional information or documentation, we can work together to complie the required paperwork. This is all included in our service.
Costs & Payments
The cost depends on which type of contribution you need and how many years you're paying for. Class 2 contributions are currently £3.50 per week (£182 per year), while Class 3 contributions are £17.75 per week (£923 per year). We'll calculate the exact cost for your specific situation.
You pay the National Insurance contributions directly to HMRC after your application is approved. We'll provide you with payment details and instructions. The easiest way to pay is by bank transfer.
Yes, assuming you're approved, HMRC typically allows you to pay voluntary contributions within specific timeframes. The exact payment options available will depend on your specific circumstances and the amount owed.
The return varies depending on your circumstances, but it's typically excellent. For example, paying for a year of contributions can increase your annual State Pension by around £342 for life. Over a 20-year retirement, that's a return of over £6,800 on potentially as little as a £182 investment.
Refund & Guarantee
If HMRC determines that you are not eligible to make voluntary National Insurance contributions, we will refund your entire €299 fee. This covers situations where HMRC rejects your application due to ineligibility, not situations where you change your mind or decide not to proceed.
Refunds are processed within 5-7 business days once you have given us evidence of HMRC's decision. The refund will be credited back to the original payment method you used. You'll receive email confirmation when the refund is processed.
Once we begin work on your case, the fee is non-refundable except in cases where HMRC does not approve your application.
In our experience, very few clients are refused by HMRC when we work with our clients on their application. We have extensive experience in assessing eligibility and only accept cases where we're confident of success. However, the guarantee exists to give you complete peace of mind.
Technical Questions
Generally, you can pay voluntary contributions for the previous 6 years. We'll assess your specific situation and identify all years available for voluntary contributions.
UK voluntary contributions typically do not affect state pensions you’ve earned in other countries through your own work history. However, some countries have minimum or basic pension schemes that take foreign pensions into account, which could reduce what you receive. Additionally, the UK has social security agreements with certain countries (known as totalisation agreements) that may impact how your contributions are assessed or combined for eligibility.
Moving to a different country usually doesn’t affect your application. In fact, if you move to a country that has a social security agreement with the UK, it may help protect your eligibility for UK State Pension or voluntary contributions.
Payment Security
Yes, we use Stripe for payment processing, which provides bank-level security. All payments are encrypted and PCI DSS compliant. We never store your payment details, and all transactions are securely processed through Stripe's systems.
We accept all major credit and debit cards including Visa and Mastercard. Payments are processed in Euro's, but your card issuer will handle currency conversion if you're paying in a different currency.
Still Have Questions?
Can't find the answer you're looking for? Our expert team is here to help with any questions about boosting your UK State Pension.