Paid Class 3 National Insurance while working abroad? HMRC may owe you thousands.
If you paid Class 3 NI while working abroad, HMRC now lets you fix it. If you meet the requirements, you can convert every year to Class 2 and claim the difference back.
We do the graft – eligibility, forms, additional documents, and help chasing progress, so you don’t have to.
How it works:
- Get in touch – We’ll determine whether you’re eligible for the lower payments (Class 2), and for what years.
- Paperwork done properly – We complete the necessary forms and supply HMRC with additional information in order to request a refund of the difference, which could be £10,000++.
- Refund and support – HMRC reviews, then if you’re due a refund, they’ll send a cheque. We can also help switch you to ongoing Class 2 payments (if eligible) so you stop overpaying in future.
We never interfere with any payments from HMRC.
All communication will be sent to your preferred address.
You’ll receive a cheque directly from HMRC, which you deposit yourself.
Case Study: William, a Construction Engineer in Malaysia
William worked in the UK for 19 years and then moved abroad in 2008, where he paid Class 3 National Insurance rates for 16 years to secure the full State Pension. (He paid 35 years of NI stamps in total.)
He was employed and self-employed for the duration of those 16 years, in various countries in Southeast Asia.
William is owed a total of £9,371 by HMRC.
(Here’s the breakdown per year for William’s case. He should have paid just £2,540 instead of £11,910)
| Tax year | Class 2 NI Rate | Class 3 NI Rate | National Insurance Refund |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009–10 | £124.80 | £626.60 | £501.80 |
| 2010–11 | £124.80 | £626.60 | £501.80 |
| 2011–12 | £130.00 | £655.20 | £525.20 |
| 2012–13 | £137.80 | £689.00 | £551.20 |
| 2013–14 | £140.40 | £704.60 | £564.20 |
| 2014–15 | £143.00 | £722.80 | £579.80 |
| 2015–16 | £145.60 | £733.20 | £587.60 |
| 2016–17 | £145.60 | £733.20 | £587.60 |
| 2017–18 | £148.20 | £741.00 | £592.80 |
| 2018–19 | £153.40 | £761.80 | £608.40 |
| 2019–20 | £156.00 | £780.00 | £624.00 |
| 2020–21 | £158.60 | £795.60 | £637.00 |
| 2021–22 | £158.60 | £800.80 | £642.20 |
| 2022–23 | £163.80 | £824.20 | £660.40 |
| 2023–24 | £179.40 | £907.40 | £728.00 |
| 2024–25 | £179.40 | £907.40 | £728.00 |
| Total | £2,539.20 | £11,909.80 | £9,370.60 |
Notes:
- We’ve summed the totals from the annual figures in the table (some sources round weekly rates differently, or a few years had 53 NI weeks, so we used 52 weeks flat each year for consistency).
- The refund total is simply Class 3 minus Class 2 rates.
- If any of those tax years had 53 weeks, the total would increase slightly.
Other stuff to remember:
- HMRC decides case-by-case, but we will only recommend an application if you meet the requirements.
- Timelines for the refund vary but HMRC publishes reply times weekly.
- Two “watch-out” years – 1996–97 and 1999–2000 – where Class 2 was actually higher than Class 3, so conversion may not help.
FAQ – NI Refunds
- “Am I even eligible?” (our State Pension experts can determine this on a short call)
- “Will HMRC actually refund me?” (yes, they will issue a cheque provided you meet the requirements)
- “What if I over-convert?” (we’ve checked the years 1996–97 & 1999–2000, which aren’t worth it)
- “Is my money safe?” (the refund cheque comes directly from HMRC, not via British Abroad)
No HMRC phone queues. No rejected forms. No guesswork.
Why trust British Abroad with your National Insurance refund?
Sorting your NI contributions from overseas is fiddly. HMRC’s rules are clear, but the process is anything but. Forms get lost, helplines keep you on hold, and one wrong box can delay things for months. That’s where we come in.
- We use HMRC’s own guidance – every conversion application we prepare is built directly on gov.uk rules and guidance, not guesswork.
- Your refunded money never touches us – If a refund is due, it comes straight from HMRC by cheque in your name.
- We know the traps – two years (1996–97 and 1999–2000) aren’t worth converting. We’ll flag them before you waste time.
- Personal service – we don’t just fling forms at you. You’ll get pre-filled paperwork, an evidence checklist, and updates while HMRC are processing.
Here’s how one client put it:
“I just wanted someone who knows exactly what they’re doing to sort my UK state pension out for me honestly, so I can relax and enjoy retirement without stressing. British Abroad did exactly that.”
If you need some help getting your money back, get in touch today for a free phone or video consultation to see if you’re eligible.