You can apply to pay voluntary National Insurance contributions to fill gaps in your National Insurance record.

You can get advice on whether you’ll benefit from paying voluntary National Insurance contributions. If you’re below State Pension age, contact the Future Pension Centre.

You may want to get financial advice before you decide to make voluntary National Insurance contributions. Find out more about pensions and retirement on the Money Helper website.

You may be able to pay voluntary Class 2 or voluntary Class 3 National Insurance contributions for periods abroad, as long as you meet the conditions to pay.

Find out more about paying voluntary National Insurance contributions and which class to pay in guidance on social security abroad.

You cannot pay voluntary Class 2 or voluntary Class 3 National Insurance contributions for any period during which you’re liable to pay Class 1 National Insurance contributions.

Find out what benefits and pensions National Insurance contributions count towards.

Before you apply, you should check your eligibility to pay.

You may be able to pay voluntary Class 2 or voluntary Class 3 National Insurance contributions if you have either: 

You may be able to pay voluntary Class 2 or voluntary Class 3 National Insurance contributions if you have either:

You must also have been previously subject to UK legislation because you were employed or self-employed. For example, you have previously:

To pay voluntary Class 2 National Insurance contributions, you must be working or have worked abroad during the period you’re applying to pay and have worked in the UK immediately before leaving.

You can check current National Insurance rates and categories.

If you’re a volunteer development worker, you will need to tell us about your earnings for National Insurance purposes. This should include all cash allowances paid by your employer. This should not include benefits in kind, or any cash allowances not paid by your employer.

Further guidance on volunteer development workers is available using Guidance on Social Security abroad: NI38.

You’ll need the following to apply: 

If you’re applying online you’ll need a phone with a working camera and also one of the following types of photo ID:

• UK biometric residence card (also called a BRC)
• UK Frontier Worker permit

If you’re applying to pay voluntary National Insurance contributions for multiple periods, this information is required for each period.

Between November 2017 and April 2019, HMRC’s guidance was incorrect. If you did not apply or your application was refused because of the incorrect guidance, you may be able to pay at the original rates. You can provide details if you think you may have been affected.

Get all of your information together before you start.

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If your application to pay voluntary National Insurance contributions abroad is approved, we’ll write to you to tell you and confirm payment dates and amounts or we may ask for further information.

Find out when you can expect to receive a reply from HMRC.

You can contact HMRC National Insurance enquiries, if you have any further questions about paying National Insurance contributions and living abroad.

Published 15 January 2024
Last updated 12 February 2025 + show all updates