I worked about 8 years in the UK, 2 as an employee and the rest as a freelancer, and I might have messed up my contributions because my current DWP account says I have only 5 full years of contributions.
I have the possibility to pay NI contributions for the five missing years – do you think it is worth doing that? Can I pay contributions even for the years after I have left the UK to get to my 10 years?
The two most recent years that I can see are 'priced' at £795 and £780 (I have no idea why it is so expensive, considering that in some past messages you were talking about £150ish while next to the other three missing/incomplete years it says "We are checking this year to see if it counts towards your pension. We’ll update your record when this is finished, you do not need to do anything". I am very confused.
Another problem is that I have been employed for just one year in Germany so I currently do not reach the minimum five years for state pension, even with my studies.