National insurance contributions while live in oz

[emanyalpsid 12]

Does anyone know if an Aus resident can be employed by a UK company, pay UK National insurance and receive a credit towards UK pension entitlement for that year while living in aus

[Gothnet 73]

I’m afraid I can’t answer that, but I do know that you can voluntarily keep up your NI contributions while overseas. It was something like £12 a week when I last looked, about 10 years ago!

[rammygirl 2,085]

You can make voluntary NI payments. But if you are living permanently in Australia they will need to pay you via an Aus payroll with associated Aus taxes and super as far as I know.  They need to check the r equirements. 

[Marisawright 10,232]

8 hours ago, emanyalpsid said:

Does anyone know if an Aus resident can be employed by a UK company, pay UK National insurance and receive a credit towards UK pension entitlement for that year while living in aus

If you are going to be a full-time employee, then I think they will need to employ you under Australian conditions (Australian payroll, super etc).   However, if you are not working for them full-time, you can set yourself up as your own business (called  a Sole Trader in Australia)  and then you can work for them as a contractor.  You will invoice them monthly and charge an hourly rate.   

Note that if you are a contractor, the company does not pay you any benefits, holiday pay, sick leave, private pension or NI, because you are not an employee.  You are paid for the hours you work and nothing more. It will be up to you to pay your own voluntary NI contributions.

[Blue Flu 991]

I paid in a years worth of NI payments over two weeks ago and it has yet to be paid into my account. Glad didn't whack in more years. Feel better doing a trial run to see how it works. 

Reasons for doing it was to diversify as well as a non means tested pension for life. Also something outside the AUS $ .

[Marisawright 10,232]

23 minutes ago, Blue Flu said:

I paid in a years worth of NI payments over two weeks ago and it has yet to be paid into my account. 

 

They say it will take about six weeks.  Mine was slightly longer but all credited eventually.

[Blue Flu 991]

58 minutes ago, Marisawright said:

They say it will take about six weeks.  Mine was slightly longer but all credited eventually.

Thanks for clarifying that. I will probably wait until paying more in. Shame because the AUS $ is favourable at the moment. 

[Marisawright 10,232]

25 minutes ago, Blue Flu said:

Thanks for clarifying that. I will probably wait until paying more in. Shame because the AUS $ is favourable at the moment. 

I've done it twice, both times took ages to go through but both went without a hitch.

Edited October 17, 2021 by Marisawright

[JetBlast 489]

How do you check if the payment has been credited please?

[Marisawright 10,232]

26 minutes ago, JetBlast said:

How do you check if the payment has been credited please?

You need to log in to your UK gov account.   If you haven't got one, you just need your UK passport and your NI number ot create one.  

[JetBlast 489]

2 hours ago, Marisawright said:

You need to log in to your UK gov account.   If you haven't got one, you just need your UK passport and your NI number ot create one.  

I did have a look but it doesn’t appear. It was around 6 weeks ago when I made the payment. 

[Marisawright 10,232]

10 minutes ago, JetBlast said:

I did have a look but it doesn’t appear. It was around 6 weeks ago when I made the payment. 

Mine took a little longer than that

[Robert Dyson 724]

On 17/10/2021 at 11:48, Blue Flu said:

I paid in a years worth of NI payments over two weeks ago and it has yet to be paid into my account. Glad didn't whack in more years. Feel better doing a trial run to see how it works. 

Reasons for doing it was to diversify as well as a non means tested pension for life. Also something outside the AUS $ .

It takes ages, and the pace of communication if you need anything is glacial. 

 

[Blue Flu 991]

3 hours ago, Robert Dyson said:

It takes ages, and the pace of communication if you need anything is glacial. 

 

Since checked and initial payment noted as pending. Hence made a more substantial payment in the last week, while the $ was strong allowing a good exchange rate. 

[Robert Dyson 724]

6 hours ago, Blue Flu said:

Since checked and initial payment noted as pending. Hence made a more substantial payment in the last week, while the $ was strong allowing a good exchange rate. 

Good news.  If anything it's good because you'll get an automatic letter next year reminding of any available outstanding voluntary contributions to make.  If you don't contribute for 2 years, they stop sending reminders and then you have to through the rigmorale of getting in touch with them again for an update..

 

[emanyalpsid 12]

Said family member trying to increase their NI contributions voluntarily.

 

Been told they have to pay class 3 as opposed to class 2. Is this right?

[Nemesis 1,706]

51 minutes ago, emanyalpsid said:

Said family member trying to increase their NI contributions voluntarily.

 

Been told they have to pay class 3 as opposed to class 2. Is this right?

Possibly because they are employed by a UK company? I think Class 2 is if you're "working abroad" so maybe being employed by the UK company has confused the issue?

[emanyalpsid 12]

No the employed by UK company thing didn't happen. I think it is because they are not working at present. 60+ and retired. It seems to me if they get a small job or 'self employed' role they would then be eligible for class 2 contributions?

[Nemesis 1,706]

8 hours ago, emanyalpsid said:

No the employed by UK company thing didn't happen. I think it is because they are not working at present. 60+ and retired. It seems to me if they get a small job or 'self employed' role they would then be eligible for class 2 contributions?

That might be it. I know whenever I get a letter from them it says if I’m still working abroad I can pay Class 2.

[Robert Dyson 724]

9 hours ago, emanyalpsid said:

No the employed by UK company thing didn't happen. I think it is because they are not working at present. 60+ and retired. It seems to me if they get a small job or 'self employed' role they would then be eligible for class 2 contributions?

That would be it

1 hour ago, Nemesis said:

That might be it. I know whenever I get a letter from them it says if I’m still working abroad I can pay Class 2.

Yes, i remember when i started paying mine (years ago) i had to prove that i'd gone straight from UK employment into Australian employment to be allowed to pay C2.  Otherwise it would have been the more expensive C3.

https://www.gov.uk/voluntary-national-insurance-contributions/who-can-pay-voluntary-contributions#:~:text=You can pay Class 2,least 3 years of contributions

Living and working abroad	Class 2 - but only if you worked in the UK immediately before leaving, and you’ve previously lived in the UK for at least 3 years in a row or paid at least 3 years of contributions
Living abroad but not working	Class 3 - but only if at some point you’ve lived in the UK for at least 3 years in a row or paid at least 3 years of contributions

 

[Aussiepom 25]

On 17/10/2022 at 08:07, Robert Dyson said:

That would be it

Yes, i remember when i started paying mine (years ago) i had to prove that i'd gone straight from UK employment into Australian employment to be allowed to pay C2.  Otherwise it would have been the more expensive C3.

https://www.gov.uk/voluntary-national-insurance-contributions/who-can-pay-voluntary-contributions#:~:text=You can pay Class 2,least 3 years of contributions

Living and working abroad	Class 2 - but only if you worked in the UK immediately before leaving, and you’ve previously lived in the UK for at least 3 years in a row or paid at least 3 years of contributions
Living abroad but not working	Class 3 - but only if at some point you’ve lived in the UK for at least 3 years in a row or paid at least 3 years of contributions

 

How Immediadte is Immediate?  E.g. what if someone resigned in October having received a job offer in Australia, then took accrued leave / gardening leave break for 2 months before starting in Australia in January (asking for a friend).

 

[Nemesis 1,706]

1 hour ago, Aussiepom said:

How Immediadte is Immediate?  E.g. what if someone resigned in October having received a job offer in Australia, then took accrued leave / gardening leave break for 2 months before starting in Australia in January (asking for a friend).

 

I stopped work in the UK early-October didn't find a job in Australia until the first week of December. I had no issues paying Class 2.