Apply to pay voluntary National Insurance contributions when abroad (CF83)
Pay voluntary National Insurance for periods abroad.
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 are:
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below State Pension age, contact the Future Pension Centre
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over, or within 6 months of reaching State Pension age, contact the International 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.
Voluntary National Insurance contributions
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: NI38.
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
Before you apply, you should check your eligibility to pay.
If you’re living abroad, working abroad, or living and working abroad, you may be able to pay voluntary Class 2 or voluntary Class 3 National Insurance contributions if you had either:
- previously lived in the UK for 3 years in a row
- paid at least 3 years of contributions
To pay voluntary Class 2 National Insurance contributions you must be working or have worked abroad during the period you are applying to pay and have worked in the UK immediately before leaving.
You can check current National Insurance rates and categories.
What you’ll need
You’ll need the following to apply:
- full name
- date of birth
- National Insurance number — find your National Insurance number if you’ve lost it
- your address in the UK if applicable
- your address abroad if applicable
- the date that you left the UK
- details of your employment before you left the UK
- how long you lived or plan to live abroad if known
- details of your employment or self-employment abroad if applicable
- details of any government benefit you were receiving or claiming if applicable
If you are applying to pay voluntary National Insurance contributions for multiple periods, this information is required for each period.
Apply by post
You can apply by post using PDF form CF83.
You must apply by post to pay voluntary National Insurance contributions for gaps in the current tax year and going forward by Direct Debit.
You need to:
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Print it.
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Fill it in and sign the declaration.
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Post it to the address shown on the form.
Volunteer Development workers
If you’re a Volunteer Development worker you’ll need to:
- print and post the completed form to your recruiting organisation
- tell us about your earnings for National Insurance contribution purposes — include all cash allowances paid by your employer, but do not include benefits in kind or any cash allowances not paid by your employer
What happens next
If your application to pay voluntary National Insurance contributions abroad is approved, we will 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.
More information
You may also want to check the following guidance:
- Tax if you leave the UK to live abroad
- Tax on your UK income if you live abroad
- National Insurance if you work abroad
- Moving or retiring abroad
- State Pension if you retire abroad
- Advice for UK nationals living abroad, including residency, health and benefits
- Apply for a National Insurance number if you’ve never had one