A Treasury minister set out an April deadline for changes that are coming in
HMRC has released an update regarding crucial paperwork being sent to certain National Insurance taxpayers. It is worth checking that your National Insurance (NI) details are current and your contributions are all correctly recorded, as these determine your entitlement to the state pension.
The full new state pension currently stands at £230.25 per week, and you typically require 35 years of NI contributions to receive this amount. A minimum of 10 years of contributions is needed to qualify for any state pension. Labour MP Juliet Campbell questioned Chancellor Rachel Reeves in a written parliamentary inquiry about whether she had looked at the service teams handling A1 certification applications.
She also wanted to know when processing times are expected to “return to the standard service level”. In October 2025, there were reports of seven-month delays for processing these applications. These essential certificates demonstrate that you will pay UK NI contributions while self-employed and working in either an EU country, the European Economic Area or Switzerland.
You may need to apply for an A1 certificate if you are working in:
- An EU country
- Gibraltar
- Iceland
- Liechtenstein
- Norway
- Switzerland.
Treasury minister response
Treasury minister Dan Tomlinson delivered the Government’s response. He said: “HMRC recognises how important it is for customers to receive their A1 certificates promptly and is strengthening the service to support this. Additional National Insurance advisers are being trained to further increase capacity.”
He went on to confirm an April deadline as the tax department intensifies its efforts to improve the service. Mr Tomlinson said: “The service‐level agreement (SLA) for A1 certificates is to process 80 per cent of online applications within 15 working days, and 80 percent of postal applications within 40 working days. HMRC has implemented a plan to stabilise performance and expects to meet its SLAs by the end of the tax year.”
He also offered some practical guidance on how to ensure your application is processed quickly. The minister explained: “Customers are encouraged to apply online for A1 certificates, as online applications are quicker to deal with.”
You can submit your application on the Government website. You cannot submit your application more than 12 months before you’re due to work abroad.
When you log in to use the service and submit your application, you may be required to verify your identity. This typically involves submitting a form of photographic identification, such as a passport or driving licence.
