UK State Pension newbie

[Beaglehound]

Thanks so much, will give this thread a good read!

About your first question, I doubt it matters. I think I answered something like, ‘at least five years’.

[Onobori1980]

Kuma, Beaglehound, thanks very much for the advice.

Yes, the ordinarily resident blurb is worded very badly indeed. I think I’ll say ‘no’ but outline my background and circumstances clearly in a cover letter.

Spent the last week getting proof of employment letters from previous employers both in the UK and in Japan. If they look properly they’ll see the dates mentioned confirm that I started work in Japan three days after leaving my last UK post. The entry stamp in my old passport backs this up too.

Anyway, I think I’m just about ready to give it a go!

[bryanc]

very interested in this-but regarding eligibility for class 2 i looked online..

does this mean i wont get approved if i left uk after uni and only had a few part time jobs before that?
does it also mean you lose health insurance in japan??

worked in the UK immediately before leaving
And
You have previously lived in the UK for 3 years in a row
Or
Paid 3 years’ National Insurance
Can I just make voluntary contributions so my State Pension is fully accounted for?
Yes, you can make voluntary NICs in many situations. You need leaflet NI38 for the eligibility criteria, which includes HMRC application Form CF83.

It is important to remember that this leaves you without health insurance in the country that you are working in if you make voluntary UK NICs.

[goodandbadjapan]

very interested in this-but regarding eligibility for class 2 i looked online..

does this mean i wont get approved if i left uk after uni and only had a few part time jobs before that?
does it also mean you lose health insurance in japan??

worked in the UK immediately before leaving
And
You have previously lived in the UK for 3 years in a row
Or
Paid 3 years’ National Insurance
Can I just make voluntary contributions so my State Pension is fully accounted for?
Yes, you can make voluntary NICs in many situations. You need leaflet NI38 for the eligibility criteria, which includes HMRC application Form CF83.

It is important to remember that this leaves you without health insurance in the country that you are working in if you make voluntary UK NICs.

Regarding health insurance - I think it just means your NIC payments don't cover you for health abroad. So as long as you are paying your health insurance in Japan you are covered here.

[Beaglehound]

No impact at all on Japanese health insurance.

Sounds like you will be eligible to pay class 3s rather than class 2s. Still a decent deal.

[bryanc]

If you Google RetireJapan and UK state pension, we have about six posts that should help (especially the comments)

very late coming to this-but thanks-this is a great resource..

is there any limit to the number of yrs you can back pay?

[bryanc]

£3.05 a week for Class 2. £15.40 a week for Class 3.

wow-class 2 seems an incredible deal

[bryanc]

found the answer to the backpay one-thanks all!

what age do you stop paying into the scheme?is it 66?

[Beaglehound]

found the answer to the backpay one-thanks all!

what age do you stop paying into the scheme?is it 66?

You can pay in up to your pensionable age as far as I know, which will be 67 for me on current rules but is dependent on your age. You need 35 years to get the maximum pension and a minimum of 10 to get anything at all. Be aware that the goalposts do move on pension age and number of years, so not set in stone.

[bryanc]

have applied-what will happen I dont know ,but whether class 2 or class 3 i will try to back pay yrs..

as i understand if born after 1951 can pay back 10yrs by 2023 april for yrs 2006-2016.
also can pay back voluntary contributions up to 6yrs back (2016 from next april) so
basically can pay all yrs back from 2006 to present?is that correct??