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.

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.

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.

Eligibility

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 have either: 

• previously lived in the UK for 3 years in a row 
• paid at least 3 years of National Insurance contributions 

From 6 April 2026, you’ll no longer be able to pay voluntary Class 2 National Insurance contributions for time spent abroad. You’ll only be able to pay voluntary Class 3 contributions for tax years 2026 to 2027 onwards.

Read about changes announced to voluntary National Insurance contributions for periods spent abroad from April 2026.

If you’ve lived or paid social security contributions in an EU country, Gibraltar, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, or Turkey

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

• previously lived in an EU country, Gibraltar, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, or Turkey for 3 years in a row
• paid 3 years of social security contributions in an EU country, Gibraltar, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, or Turkey

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

• paid, or had Class 1 National Insurance contributions treated as paid
• paid, or had Class 2 National Insurance contributions treated as paid

You can check current National Insurance rates and categories.

Volunteer development workers

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.

What you’ll need to apply

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

• UK photocard driving licence
• UK passport
• non-UK passport with a biometric chip
• UK biometric residence permit (BRP)
• 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.

Apply to pay

Get all of your information together before you start.

Start now

What happens next

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.