明言する／公表する 年金 最高の，を越す-ups gridlock: Savers （人命などを）奪う，主張する DWP phones are 圧倒するd in 急ぐ to fill old gaps before April 最終期限

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Long waits: It can take hours to get through to the 未来 年金 Centre, say our readers

UPDATE: The 政府 has 洞穴d in to 圧力 and 延長するd a crunch 最終期限 to buy extra 明言する／公表する 年金 最高の，を越す-ups after 失望させるd savers jammed its phone lines for weeks.

People trying to 上げる their 退職 支払い（額）s will now get until 31 July to do so at 現在の 率s of up to £824 for each year, and いっそう少なく for a part-year gap.

失望させるd savers complain Department for Work and 年金s phone lines are jammed ahead of a crunch 最終期限 to buy 明言する／公表する 年金 最高の，を越す ups, 誘発するing calls for it to be 延長するd.

This is Money readers tell us they either can't get through at all, or if they do staff cannot give them 決定的な （警察などへの）密告，告訴（状） on whether it is 価値（がある） 支払う／賃金ing voluntary 国家の 保険 出資／貢献s.

Doing this can give a generous 上げる to 退職 income if you buy or fill up the 訂正する years, and 権利 now the usual six year 最終期限 is 延長するd 支援する to 2006/07 - a 取引，協定 that 満了する／死ぬs on 5 April.

But it can be hard to work out which years if any will 利益 you 個々に, and the 政府 itself and other money 専門家s 警告する you should check with the 未来 年金s Centre before 手渡すing over your cash.

This （警察などへの）密告，告訴（状） line is run by the DWP, but the 最高の，を越す-up 支払い（額）s of up to £824 for each year - いっそう少なく for a part-year gap - must be made to HMRC.

Readers 接触するing This is Money complain:

- It takes hours to get through to the 未来 年金 Centre, or いつかs no one answers, or at the phone menu 行う／開催する／段階 the line goes dead

- When you do get through DWP staff give 相反する advice

- Staff say they cannot send out a '声明 of 適格（性）' for 最高の，を越す-ups for two months, 潜在的に 行方不明の the April 最終期限

- They 約束 to send out 詳細（に述べる）s which never arrive - one reader says they have been 繰り返して trying to 得る the necessary （警察などへの）密告，告訴（状） on 支払う／賃金ing a lump sum since April last yea r

- When HMRC - which 過程s 最高の，を越す-ups 支払い（額）s - was 接触するd by one reader, they were told there were tens of thousands of people's 最高の，を越す-ups questions yet to be answered.

>>>Want to 最高の，を越す up your 明言する／公表する 年金? Find out Steve Webb's golden 支配するs below?

When we put these （人命などを）奪う，主張するs to the DWP and HMRC, a 政府 spokesperson 答える／応じるd: 'Voluntary 出資／貢献s do not always 増加する your 明言する／公表する 年金. 顧客s should make sure they would 利益 before making any 支払い（額）s.

'The quickest and easiest way for 顧客s to see （警察などへの）密告，告訴（状） about their 明言する／公表する 年金 and 国家の 保険 記録，記録的な／記録する is online.

'If 顧客s need to 接触する us, both HMRC and DWP will 確実にする calls are answered as quickly as possible.'

Former 年金s 大臣 Steve Webb said: 'Even the DWP 収容する／認めるs that 支払う／賃金ing extra 出資／貢献s will not always 上げる your 年金 and encourage people to check before 支払う／賃金ing.

'But if people cannot get through to the DWP's helplines to check, what are they meant to do? Given the 差し迫った 最終期限, it is 決定的な that DWP either 上げるs the capacity of its helplines as a 事柄 of 緊急 or 延長するs the April 最終期限.

'For some people, getting their 国家の 保険 記録，記録的な／記録する sorted out before 6 April could make a 抱擁する difference to their 基準 of living in 退職.'

Webb, now This is Money's 年金s columnist and a partner at LCP, says: 'In some 事例／患者s, 行方不明の the 最終期限 will mean 行方不明の out on the chance to 支払う／賃金 an extra 10 years into the system. This could 減ずる someone's final 年金 by up to £2,750 per year.

'This is why it is so important that people can get （疑いを）晴らす answers to questions about their own individual 状況／情勢 and can find out if it is 価値（がある） topping up and how to do so.'

Jon Orchard, a 借り切る／憲章d 財政上の planner at 財政上の 会社／堅い Old Mill, says it is vitally important people talk to the DWP's 未来 年金 Centre to 確認する they are buying the 権利 extra years before 支払う／賃金ing for them.

He says: 'It is a コンビナート／複合体 area and very much depends on individual circumstances, and not everyone with 'gaps' will 現実に need to 最高の，を越す up.'

And he 追加するs: 'You h ave to keep trying. Don't leave it too late. There is no 魔法 病弱なd - keep trying to get through.

'If we are 審理，公聴会 people are struggling to get through and it's catching people by surprise, I think the 政府 should look at 延長するing the 最終期限 because it can have such a 根底となる difference to people's 退職. Thousands or tens of thousands of 続けざまに猛撃するs difference over someone's lifetime.'

You can get a refund if you 誤った buy 最高の，を越す-ups that turn out to be worthless, but it might take a while and is best 避けるd.?

Want to 最高の，を越す up your 明言する／公表する 年金, but baffled over which years to buy?

This is Money columnist Steve Webb runs a website to help people through the?明言する／公表する 年金 最高の，を越す-ups 過程 here. 政府 （警察などへの）密告，告訴（状） on ?buying 最高の，を越す-ups is here.

Webb?says the 政府's 'check your 明言する／公表する 年金' website 供給するs useful （警察などへの）密告，告訴（状）, but crucially does not help people to decide which years, if any, they should 最高の，を越す up.?

His 最高の，を越す-ups 場所／位置, hosted by his 会社／堅い LCP, helps to plu g that gap for those who come under the 'new' 明言する／公表する 年金 system 開始する，打ち上げるd in April 2016 - men born on or after 6 April 1951, and women born on or after 6 April 1953.

Jon Orchard: It is vitally important people talk to the DWP's 未来 年金 Centre to 確認する they are buying the 権利 extra years before 支払う／賃金ing for them

Any personal （警察などへの）密告，告訴（状） inputted to the 場所／位置 is not 保持するd by LCP

使用者s are 警告するd they should always check with the Department for Work and 年金s that topping up the years identified will definitely 上げる their 明言する／公表する 年金 before 支払う／賃金ing any money.

Webb says there are two groups for whom 最高の，を越す-ups may be of particular 利益／興味. First, public servants who retired 早期に and were members of a 契約d out occupational 年金 計画／陰謀 which 減ずるd their 明言する／公表する 年金 below the 最大限 量.

And second, self-emp loyed people who might have gaps in their NI 記録，記録的な／記録する and be able to go 支援する to any year since 2006/07 to 最高の，を越す it up.

Orchard says: 'Each year you buy 現在／一般に 供給するs an extra £275 per year 明言する／公表する 年金, so if you 生き残る say three years past 明言する／公表する 年金 age, you would have received £825 支援する (before 税金).

'Therefore, the cost equals the payback once you get to three years past 年金 age, and the longer you live, the more 重要な the 上げる will be.'

Steve Webb's golden 支配するs for buying 明言する／公表する 年金 最高の，を越す-ups

1. Make sure you are getting any credits you are する権利を与えるd to before 支払う／賃金ing voluntary NI for a particular year.

For example, grandparents under 年金 age may be able to get credits に向かって their 明言する／公表する 年金 if they are looking after a grandchild, enabling the child's parent to go out to work.

As NI credits don't cost anything, you should always （人命などを）奪う，主張する what is 利用できる for 解放する／自由な before 支払う／賃金ing voluntary NI for any given year.

2. Whether or not it makes sense for any given individual to 最高の，を越す up depends on their individual circumstances.

You should always start by checking your 明言する／公表する 年金 記録，記録的な／記録する at the 政府's web page.

This may tell you, for example, that you are already going to get the 最大限 明言する／公表する 年金 and therefore don't need to make any voluntary 出資／貢献s, even if you have some gaps in your 記録，記録的な／記録する.

Filling blanks for 確かな years - 特に those before 2016/17 - can いつかs have no 衝撃 on your 明言する／公表する 年金, 特に if you were 契約d out and have already paid in 30 years by April 2016

3. Some years may be cheaper to fill than others. If, for example, you worked for part of a year, you may find that you can 完全にする that year more cheaply than filling a year that was 完全に blank.

You can check your 国家の 保険 記録，記録的な／記録する here.

4. Fill gaps at the Class 2 率 if you can as voluntary NI for the self-雇うd is much cheaper than for 従業員s - 現在／一般に £163.80 per year, rather than Class 3 出資／貢献s at £824.20 per year.

If you had low-income self-雇用 in a particular year and have a gap in your 記録，記録的な／記録する, you should be able to 支払う／賃金 at the Class 2 率 for that year, which will save you money.

5. People who 推定する／予想する to be on 利益s in 退職 might find their 増加するd 明言する／公表する 年金 is clawed 支援する in 減ずるd 年金 credit or 住宅 利益

6. Always check before 手渡すing over any money. The 支配するs are コンビナート／複合体 and you can いつかs fill a gap which makes no difference to your final 年金.

This is Money and our sister 出版（物） Money Mail have called in the past for an 精密検査する of 明言する／公表する 年金 最高の，を越す-ups after receiving many （民事の）告訴s about the 混乱させるing system, which is operated 共同で by the DWP and HMRC.

We covered 非常に／多数の 事例／患者s of savers who innocently bought worthless 最高の，を越す-ups, and were 最初 辞退するd refunds before HMRC 支援するd 負かす／撃墜する.

And we have flagged 事例／患者s of savers who paid thousands of 続けざまに猛撃するs and saw their money disappear without explanation for months, until This is Money 介入するd.

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