If you leave the UK, your National Insurance record stops growing unless you do something about it. Years with no contributions or credits can leave gaps, and gaps can mean a smaller State Pension later. The rules for filling those gaps from abroad changed on 6 April 2026, and many guides written before then are now out of date. This guide explains what the rules say today, what it costs, how to apply and what happens to the pension if you stay abroad.
This is general information, not financial, tax or legal advice. Whether paying is worth it depends on your own record, your age and where you will live, so use the official forecast and tell a pension adviser if the sums are large. Rules and rates were checked on 3 November 2026 against the GOV.UK pages listed at the end. Where we could not confirm a point from an official source, we say so in the text.
Last updated 3 November 2026. This piece sits in the Grow section.
The short answer
From 6 April 2026 you cannot pay voluntary Class 2 contributions for time abroad. You can pay Class 3 for time abroad after 5 April 2026 only if you previously lived in the UK for 10 years in a row, or paid 10 years of qualifying National Insurance contributions. Class 3 costs £18.40 a week in 2026 to 2027. You must apply to HMRC first and wait for its letter before paying. The deadline for each year is 5 April six years later.
What the State Pension needs
GOV.UK says you need at least 10 qualifying years on your National Insurance record to get any new State Pension, and 35 qualifying years for the full rate, which it shows as £241.30 a week. If you were contracted out of the additional State Pension at some point, you will usually need more than 35 years for the full rate. A gap year is one that does not count, so a voluntary contribution can turn it into a qualifying year if you are allowed to pay for it.
Before you pay anything, get your State Pension forecast. GOV.UK says that if you have not reached State Pension age you can check the forecast or contact the Future Pension Centre to find out whether you would benefit from voluntary contributions. If you have reached State Pension age, or will within six months, contact the International Pension Centre. You can check your State Pension age on GOV.UK.
Which rule applies to which year
| Tax year of the time abroad | Class 2 voluntary | Class 3 voluntary |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 to 2026 and earlier | Allowed if you meet the Class 3 test and also worked in the UK immediately before leaving and are working abroad | Allowed if you lived in the UK for 3 years in a row, or paid contributions for at least 3 years in total |
| 2026 to 2027 onwards | Cannot be paid for time abroad | Allowed if you previously lived in the UK for 10 years in a row, or paid 10 years of qualifying contributions in total |
What counts as a qualifying contribution for the 10-year test
GOV.UK lists these as qualifying contributions:
- Class 1, 2 or 3 contributions paid, or treated as paid, while in the UK.
- Class 1 or 2 contributions paid, or treated as paid, while working abroad under a Social Security Agreement.
- Class 1 contributions paid by posted workers for the first 52 weeks abroad.
- Class 2 contributions paid by volunteer development workers.
It says qualifying contributions do not include other voluntary contributions paid for other periods abroad, or National Insurance credits. So a person whose record is mostly credits, for example from childcare or claiming certain benefits, may not meet the new test even with many years of record.
The transition rule for earlier applicants
If you applied before 6 April 2026, you may still be able to use the older, easier test (3 years). GOV.UK says all of the following must be true:
- you applied to pay voluntary Class 2 or Class 3 contributions for 2024 to 2025 or 2025 to 2026 on or before 5 April 2026;
- you pay (or have paid) the contributions you applied for on or before 5 April 2027; and
- you apply to pay Class 3 for 2026 to 2027 on or before 5 April 2027.
The transitional rules stop applying once you return to live or work in the UK.
If you were told the wrong thing in 2017 to 2019
GOV.UK says HMRC guidance was incorrect between November 2017 and April 2019. If you did not apply, or your application was refused because of that guidance, you may be able to pay at the original rates. Explain your situation when you apply.
What it costs
For the 2026 to 2027 tax year, GOV.UK gives these weekly rates:
| Class | Weekly rate, 2026 to 2027 |
|---|---|
| Class 2 | £3.65 (not available for time abroad from 2026 to 2027) |
| Class 3 | £18.40 |
You usually pay the current rate. If you are paying Class 2 for the previous tax year, or Class 3 for the previous two tax years, you pay the original rate for those years. For any earlier years you pay the rate for 2026 to 2027.
Illustration. One full tax year of Class 3 at £18.40 for 52 weeks is £956.80. HMRC’s letter gives the exact amount for your case, so treat this only as a rough guide to scale.
Deadlines
You can only pay voluntary contributions for the past six tax years. The deadline is 5 April each year. GOV.UK’s example is that you have until 5 April 2032 to make up gaps for 2025 to 2026. Missing a year may mean losing the chance to fill it, so diarise the date.
How to apply
- Check your State Pension forecast and your National Insurance record to see which years have gaps.
- Apply to HMRC to pay voluntary contributions for time abroad. GOV.UK’s page for this uses form CF83.
- Do not pay until HMRC’s letter tells you how much to pay and gives you your payment reference number.
- Pay by the date in the letter, and keep proof of payment.
- Check your record again after payment to see that the years now count.
Getting the pension while living abroad
GOV.UK says the UK pays the State Pension worldwide, but the rules on how it is paid differ.
- Claiming. If you live abroad, GOV.UK says you must claim within four months of State Pension age.
- Conversion charge. GOV.UK says the amount is usually converted into your local currency at the exchange rate at the time, with a conversion charge of 0.39% before payment.
- Payment dates. You can choose to be paid every 4 or 13 weeks. If your State Pension is under £5 a week, you are paid once a year in December.
Annual increases depend on where you live
The State Pension rises every year only for people who live in certain places. GOV.UK says you get an annual increase if you live in the European Economic Area or Switzerland, or in a country that has a social security agreement with the UK that allows increases. Its list of agreement countries is: Barbados, Bermuda, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Isle of Man, Israel, Jamaica, Jersey, Kosovo, Mauritius, Montenegro, North Macedonia, the Philippines, Serbia, Turkey and the USA. The UK has agreements with Canada and New Zealand, but GOV.UK says you cannot get a yearly increase there.
GOV.UK says you will not get yearly increases if you live outside these countries, and that your pension goes up to the current rate if you return to live in the UK. GOV.UK’s list of countries that receive increases was published in 2014, so check the current list before choosing where to retire.
Healthcare
The NHS says an S1 may be available to some people who live in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland and receive a UK State Pension. It lets the UK pay for state healthcare in the country where you live. It is not a general right for everyone who lives abroad. See our guide to travel insurance versus international health cover for the wider picture.
A checklist before you decide
- What does your State Pension forecast say, and how many qualifying years do you have?
- Do you meet the 10-year test, or does the transition rule apply to you?
- Which tax years have gaps, and when does each one expire?
- Have you applied to HMRC and received its letter before paying?
- Where will you live when you claim, and does that country get annual increases?
- Have you checked your tax residence, because that affects how a UK pension is taxed? See tax residence versus where your client is.
- How will the money get to you? See moving money across borders without a UK bank.
Frequently asked questions
Can I still pay voluntary Class 2 National Insurance while I live abroad?
Not for time abroad from the 2026 to 2027 tax year. GOV.UK says you cannot pay voluntary Class 2 contributions for time abroad from that year. For 2025 to 2026 and earlier, Class 2 had extra conditions about working in the UK before leaving and working abroad.
How much is voluntary Class 3 National Insurance?
£18.40 a week for 2026 to 2027, according to GOV.UK. Earlier years may be at the rate for those years or at the 2026 to 2027 rate, depending on how far back they are.
How many years do I need to pay Class 3 from abroad?
For time abroad after 5 April 2026, GOV.UK says you need either to have previously lived in the UK for 10 years in a row or to have paid 10 years of qualifying National Insurance contributions in total.
How far back can I pay?
Six tax years. The deadline is 5 April each year, so you have until 5 April 2032 to fill a gap for 2025 to 2026.
Do I pay straight away?
No. GOV.UK says do not pay anything until you get a letter from HMRC telling you how much to pay and giving you a payment reference number.
Will my State Pension go up every year if I live abroad?
Only if you live in the EEA, Switzerland, Gibraltar or a country with a qualifying agreement. It does not rise in Canada or New Zealand.
How do I claim the State Pension from abroad?
GOV.UK says you must claim within four months of State Pension age. If you are within six months of State Pension age or past it, contact the International Pension Centre.
Is paying always worth it?
Not necessarily. It depends on your total qualifying years, your age and how long you will receive the pension. Use the forecast and an adviser. We do not say whether it is worth it for any particular person.
If you are paid in one country while living in another, see getting paid in one country while you live in another. If a bank closes your account because you live abroad, see what to do when a bank closes your account.
What this guide does not cover
It is not tax, legal or financial advice. We do not cover Class 1 or Class 2 contributions for people who work in the UK, voluntary contributions for people who live in the UK, workplace or private pensions, the tax treatment of a UK pension paid abroad, or how double taxation treaties apply. We have not checked whether a social security agreement with a particular country lets you count contributions paid there. We have not covered the older State Pension (for people who reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016).
Sources
- GOV.UK: Voluntary National Insurance, if you live or work abroad (or have previously), checked 3 November 2026
- GOV.UK: Voluntary National Insurance, rates, checked 3 November 2026
- GOV.UK: Voluntary National Insurance, how and when to pay, checked 3 November 2026
- GOV.UK: Apply to pay National Insurance contributions for time abroad, checked 3 November 2026
- GOV.UK: New State Pension, what you will get, checked 3 November 2026
- GOV.UK: State Pension if you retire abroad, checked 3 November 2026
- GOV.UK: Countries where we pay an annual increase in the State Pension, checked 3 November 2026
- GOV.UK: State Pension if you retire abroad, rates of State Pension, checked 3 November 2026
- GOV.UK: Check your State Pension age, checked 3 November 2026
- NHS: Planning your healthcare when moving abroad, checked 3 November 2026
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