National Insurance question

[Tom]

I know some people here (Dysfunction?) work in accountancy, I have a simple question. Every so often for the last 20 years or so, the NI people have sent demands for NI money, which I've paid at the post office. Class 4 voluntary IIRC (I'm self employed, sole trader). I haven't had one of those demands for ages now. Have they been merged with income tax or something, or should I phone the tax folks to check?

I just don't want to spend an hour waiting on the phone if it's something obvious.

 

[Scouse]

Actually I'm interested too - want to make sure my state pension is still coming to me.

 

[Tom]

You can check online now, just go to the tax portal and look at your personal account. You have to do a bit of verification but it's easy. Mine has all the right details barring 2015/16, which hasn't been updated yet.

 

[dysfunction]

Im not really that knowledgeable about tax but i don't think they have merged anything.

They may be just leaving it up to you to make sure it's done!

 

[Tom]

It's just weird, they used to send demands at random times of the year, so I'd just pay them and forget about it. Not had one for ages now.

 

[Job]

The rules for pension and NI have descended into quantam physics.
I too seem to have lost any notification on NI payments, I've only got 29 years payments, which depending on what government latest update you take..is or isnt enough and might not matter anyway because of when I started paying.
Its a joke.