Losing access to UK services, UK National insurance class 2 deadline contributions and related topics

[UniqueUserName]

The threads on this keep getting deleted, but this is an long-term, ongoing topic for Brits in HK.

Some notes from the threads:
1) You need to tell your doctor in the UK that you don't qualify for free treatment on the NHS anymore, even if you're paying voluntary NI contributions. I don't know how to get treatment in the UK after this, personally; how to pay each time you need a doctor etc:
https://geoexpat.com/forum/175/thread365251.html

2) The class 2 rate is ~3gbp/week (200/yr), whereas the class3 is ~15/week (800/yr). My letter didn't tell me they'd rejected me for class 2. They just billed me the higher rate. I think I got rejected because I was working at sea and got tax back. But I thought I was paying NI contributions on PAYE...

3) You lose your UK driving license. If you drive on it as non-resident, you're not breaking the law AFAIK, but the insurance company will invalidate any claims. Instead, you need to use a HK license while driving in the UK.

4) The deadline to pay is March 2025:
https://geoexpat.com/forum/40/thread365541-10.html

5) The pension isn't inflation adjusted, but the opinion on the threads are that class 2 is worth it anyway.

My question that I will call to ask the helpline:

I qualify for 3 years at class 2 AFAIK, because that's only the 3gbp/week rate. Can I just pay those years? (this post seems to say no, but it's not completely clear: https://geoexpat.com/forum/40/thread...ml#post3913279

&

Other questions:

-trying to figure out why NI haven't received payments if I was employed at that time.

-how to get treatment in the UK after this, personally; how to pay each time you need a doctor etc. If no money, I guess the same thing happens as it does with the homeless where if you're sick you clog up the A&E?

[aw451]

The Student Loans Company will also find you. I totally forgot I had a student loan because it comes straight from payroll. Once I registered for Class 2 NI contributions, the Student Loan Company automatically set up a direct debit from the same account to collect my student loan repayments (around £200/month which is the amount for HK if they don't know your income).

[becomjapanHK]

"-how to get treatment in the UK after this, personally; how to pay each time you need a doctor etc. If no money, I guess the same thing happens as it does with the homeless where if you're sick you clog up the A&E?"

Surely the same as any other visitor and use insurance to pay for any overseas treatment requirements?

[UniqueUserName]

How does it actually work though? You pay at the surgery, or get a bill?

[hullexile]

How does it actually work though? You pay at the surgery, or get a bill?

Given the waiting time to see a GP you would be resident again by the time you got to see one.

What is the scenario you are expecting, short trips back to the UK?

[BritishRose]

The Student Loans Company will also find you. I totally forgot I had a student loan because it comes straight from payroll. Once I registered for Class 2 NI contributions, the Student Loan Company automatically set up a direct debit from the same account to collect my student loan repayments (around £200/month which is the amount for HK if they don't know your income).

I've heard about this recently when most of my fellow British friends moved abroad.
I'm scared to take the risk of not reporting this with SLC when I move abroad in a few months...

[aw451]

I've heard about this recently when most of my fellow British friends moved abroad.
I'm scared to take the risk of not reporting this with SLC when I move abroad in a few months...

Since the interest rate is pretty high (depending on whether you are on Plan 2 or Plan 3 either around 5 or 10%), it's probably worth just telling them and paying up. Even on £200/month I am only just paying off the interest but I'm lucky/unlucky that it will be written off in a few years due to the loan approaching the 25 year limit.

[BritishRose]

Since the interest rate is pretty high (depending on whether you are on Plan 2 or Plan 3 either around 5 or 10%), it's probably worth just telling them and paying up. Even on £200/month I am only just paying off the interest but I'm lucky/unlucky that it will be written off in a few years due to the loan approaching the 25 year limit.

I'm on Plan 1, so my write off is 30 years since I graduated in 2014 - but I'm planning to make overpayments since I will be paid more abroad than I do here in the UK.

[UniqueUserName]

Well, I don't intend to go back to the UK but I have to admit that I'm tied with the UK passport, so there's all kind of possibilities that could drag me back

A friend mentioned that there's a war on the edge of Europe, so
1) getting drafted isn't unthinkable anymore.
More mundane reasons would be
2) having to look after a parent who's not allowed to live here.
Also
3) training for work that's easier to find in English in the UK.

There's other possibilities such as banking collapse or losing banking access in HK. AI killing my job etc

Whatever the scenario, it would be pretty desperate, so the last thing I'd need would be no access to medicine. But thankfully these scenarios aren't very likely.

I found that the UK isn't really well setup for private health care. Bupa expects you to use a NHS GP referal first etc. Need to plan out exactly what to do and where to go ahead of time

[hullexile]

Well, I don't intend to go back to the UK but I have to admit that I'm tied with the UK passport, so there's all kind of possibilities that could drag me back

A friend mentioned that there's a war on the edge of Europe, so
1) getting drafted isn't unthinkable anymore.
More mundane reasons would be
2) having to look after a parent who's not allowed to live here.
Also
3) training for work that's easier to find in English in the UK.

There's other possibilities such as banking collapse or losing banking access in HK. AI killing my job etc

Whatever the scenario, it would be pretty desperate, so the last thing I'd need would be no access to medicine. But thankfully these scenarios aren't very likely.

I found that the UK isn't really well setup for private health care. Bupa expects you to use a NHS GP referal first etc. Need to plan out exactly what to do and where to go ahead of time

If you have to move back in those scenarios you will be resident and so can use the NHS free again surely?