Mike1052

Hi jictink
I'm sorry to hear about your son and daughter in law and the struggles getting this issue resolved.
After my call on Friday i see that my NI 2024/2025 years are now marked "Your record for this year is not available yet" which is great, so i am now looking forward to my demand to pay this year.
But now there is new message on my NI Record page marked "You can no longer pay for gaps before April 2019 – unless you used this service between 13 March and 4 April 2025 and are now returning to pay. Find out how to pay for gaps before April 2019"
And i explained to the HMRC guy on Friday that i have already sent the money, and also the years i need to pay, and they have my money to pay, and i get this message on my NI record page, which is confusing again.
So i guess i'll be on the phone again tomorrow lunchtime trying to find out what all this means.
It would be great if all this was computerised
you send a CF83 and get an email response or on the HMRC site with the years and amounts in a list, and next to each year which has been confirmed by the DWP(Department of Work and Pensions) as a year that counts towards your pension, then a pay here button, you click you pay.
All Done.
I dread to think what it must be like to be working in the HMRC call centre.
Good luck to them. but as you said "It's simply not good enough I'm afraid."
All the best to you.

Hi Admin 21, Many thanks for the info and links, much appreciated in this extremely busy time for you. Mike

Hello Melanie, I'm British, and i live and work in France and have done so for the last 25 years I was on the HMRC Forum yesterday and saw your post.. I was in the same situation as you, in the fact that i recently paid for 9 NI Class 2 gap years on the 24th march, the 28th and the 30th. On the 10th of April i was looking at my NI history on the off chance that i may see that my gap years are showing as full years. I then noticed like you that my 2024/2025 year was showing as full, which was a surprise to me as i had not received my annual demand for Class 2 NI payment which is usually the case, especially as i don’t no the amount. I usually receive the letter near the end of April at my address in France, and pay within a couple of days, but have not received this as i write, so of course was very surprised. The following day the 11th of this month (last friday) i called the HMRC helpline, and explained the situation, and was told he would look at my account, after i explained to him that i recently made my gap year payments at the end of march to get the payments in before the 5 April deadline, i was surprised to see my 2024/2025 year as full, and suggested to him that i think that some of the money sent for my gap years may have been inadvertently used to pay my 2024/2025 year, he again went to check the situation and told me that in effect this was the case. He apologised, he was really great in understanding the problem i had, and told me he would UNDO the payment made for 2024/2025. He then told me that while i was line him that i could give him the NI gap years i was paying for, so i gave the 9 years gap years i was paying for, and he said he would make sure the money i sent for the gap years would be allocated to this, as intended. And told me that within two weeks i should receive my demand for paying my 2024/2025 year. If i was you i would contact HMRC as soon as possible next week to clarify your situation, as i think the same has happened for you. The HMRC person i spoke to was really great and immediately found the problem and corrected it. I am sure that there are going to be a lot of these cases as the cut off date for paying older NI gap years , and payments for the end of the financial year are the same 5 APRIL. Personally i would have chosen another date for the NI Gaps year final cut off date, 5th of June for example to avoid this problem. I hope this helps., and you get it sorted out. Mike

Hi, I have a small private pension , value around £18,000. I am a resident and taxpayer in France and have been for the last 25 years, where i live and work. I would like to take a trivial commutation (the total lump sum) and understand that i can have 25% tax free, but the other 75% is taxed in the UK?? France or both countries. Would i have to pay tax twice????, and if taxed in the UK what percentage. many thanks for your time. Mike

HI HMRC Admin 8 Response, Many thanks for your response, that certainly clears up my uncertainty if i understand correctly. Being born in London in 1960 and having left school and worked in the UK from the age of 16 (1976) until the age of 40 (2001) (24years) leaving my last job in the UK on the 7th february, and starting my new job in France on the 14th February and continuing to work to this day full time (23years) 64years of age now. So I would be entitled to pay the 11 gap years at Class 2 ?? no. Many thanks for your time. 

Name removed admin .

Hello, First time here. A question. What are the criteria in determining wether you pay class 2 or Class 3 NI contributions??? I have worked full time from the age of 16 in the UK until 2001 (24 years) (i'm British) and then moved to France where i have worked and lived for 24 years. I have been paying Class 2 NI contributions each year for the past 5 years, and will continue until my retirement in 2 years time. But need to pay 11 gap years. After completing the NI38 which is 5 years ago, and again last year, i was sent a letter, asking the name of my current company is to determine if i pay Class 2 or 3 for the gap years?? Many thanks for your time.