Have you topped up a UK pension to cover gaps?

[Brissy1]

Things are looking promising, mrsB received a text (after waiting 8 months) requesting she call uk. Phoned tonight and he confirmed a few details and advised that she has 5 years, is eligible for catch-up, and to complete CF83 form importantly to note on it that she had registered interest prior to deadline.
Don't know how 5 years was recorded, only worked for about 3 years in the 1980s.
After leaving UK she worked for some years before marrying a wonderful man so stopped working, so...

I gather that catch-up rates are class 2 for years when working, then class 3? And one can't catch-up all the years since leaving UK?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Things are looking promising, mrsB received a text (after waiting 8 months) requesting she call uk. Phoned tonight and he confirmed a few details and advised that she has 5 years, is eligible for catch-up, and to complete CF83 form importantly to note on it that she had registered interest prior to deadline.
Don't know how 5 years was recorded, only worked for about 3 years in the 1980s.
After leaving UK she worked for some years before marrying a wonderful man so stopped working, so...

I gather that catch-up rates are class 2 for years when working, then class 3? And one can't catch-up all the years since leaving UK?

You can catch up all the years since leaving the UK. Correct… class 2 while working and 3 when not.

They seem to count part years… which is likely how they got to 5 when you’d really been there 3. Mine was likewise 2 years higher than I had originally calculated.

 

[SydneySwan]

You can catch up all the years since leaving the UK. Correct… class 2 while working and 3 when not.

My bolding - it depends. Certainly not the case if you left in the 1980s as per @Brissy1 post.

 

[Brissy1]

You can catch up all the years since leaving the UK. Correct… class 2 while working and 3 when not.

They seem to count part years… which is likely how they got to 5 when you’d really been there 3. Mine was likewise 2 years higher than I had originally calculated.

Thanks. UK guy said that she has 5 years and can top-up 19 years, although she left UK 36 years ago. A distant thought is that you can only catch-up since some date after 2000, or am I imagining that? He also said that continuing contributions for another 2 years until she's entitled to the pension, giving her 26 instead of 24 years, would increase her weekly pension from £130pw to £160pw. That extra £1000pa for extra 2 years contribution doesn't seem right. Maybe those figures are fortnightly not pw.

Long way to go yet, still to submit CF83 so not counting my chickens...

 

[andye]

Thanks. UK guy said that she has 5 years and can top-up 19 years, although she left UK 36 years ago. A distant thought is that you can only catch-up since some date after 2000, or am I imagining that? He also said that continuing contributions for another 2 years until she's entitled to the pension, giving her 26 instead of 24 years, would increase her weekly pension from £130pw to £160pw. That extra £1000pa for extra 2 years contribution doesn't seem right. Maybe those figures are fortnightly not pw.

Long way to go yet, still to submit CF83 so not counting my chickens...

The ability to retrospectively top up more than five years was closed off last year. You can probably add current year to make 6.
As above, class 2s will cease next April (I'm not 100% sure if this applies to the retropective ones)

 

[Brissy1]

My bolding - it depends. Certainly not the case if you left in the 1980s as per @Brissy1 post.

Ah thanks that explains some of what UK guy said

 

[Brissy1]

The ability to retrospectively top up more than five years was closed off last year.

I think that's why he said to ensure that when completing CF83 form, important to note on it that she had registered interest prior to deadline. But she'll be chuffed getting even the minimum £ into her UK bank. All to be spent when visiting the Old Dart. Still chickens...
I think you started this thread Andye, if anything comes through she (and many others here) owe you a pint.

 

[andye]

...
I think you started this thread Andye, if anything comes through she (and many others here) owe you a pint.

Credit for starting goes to @FlyingFiona but glad so many have benefited.

 

[Brissy1]

They seem to count part years… which is likely how they got to 5 when you’d really been there 3. Mine was likewise 2 years higher than I had originally calculated.

Have now sorted out login. The Gateway shows only have 2 years (from the 1980s) not 4 years as was told on the phone, and eligible to catch up last 6 years (which hopefully will be extended when submitted CF83, and still young enough to pay 2 years in the future). So probably no problem getting to 10+ years contribution but will that, alone, ensure eligibility for the "pension" if only 2 of those years were from salary deduction in the UK? Bit of a concern that may pay 8+ years catch-up and still not eligible!

Mel_Traveller , I presume your Gatway reflects the extra 2 years over what you originally calculated?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Have now sorted out login. The Gateway shows only have 2 years (from the 1980s) not 4 years as was told on the phone, and eligible to catch up last 6 years (which hopefully will be extended when submitted CF83, and still young enough to pay 2 years in the future). So probably no problem getting to 10+ years contribution but will that, alone, ensure eligibility for the "pension" if only 2 of those years were from salary deduction in the UK? Bit of a concern that may pay 8+ years catch-up and still not eligible!

Mel_Traveller , I presume your Gatway reflects the extra 2 years over what you originally calculated?

The initial calculation had all my full years, and the. the book-end years were also showing as part years, but ‘eligible’ for the purpose of the 10 yr minimum to get the pension.

I think niw I’ve topped up to 22 years or something, which will be fine for me. The other years were payable, but I would have been about $10k out of pocket.