Your money questions – Am I too late to top-up my contributions to qualify for a better UK state pension?

It is worth seeking advice to establish where you stand with regards to a UK state pension if you have paid tax there in the past? Photo: Getty

Q I applied for a UK pension last year and was told I had eight qualifying years of National Insurance contributions up to April 2024. I was in the UK in the 1980s. The shortfall I had to pay to get minimum pension was about £3,000 (€3,550). Unfortunately, I missed the final date limit. Life got in the way. I didn’t fill in the online form for a call back, either. Is it too late for me to pay the shortfall? It’s very difficult to contact UK HM revenue to get an answer.

A Since you have not worked or paid tax in the UK since the 1980s, you won’t be eligible to pay the lower-rate Class 2 National Insurance, said Sarah McGurrin, head of employee benefits with NFP Ireland, a professional services firm specialising in employee benefits.

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