I’m missing a few years
EDIT thinking about it some more, I think the 30 years kicks in if you’d done them by then and would be worse off with years counted under the new ‘new state pension’ system. In that case they will count the 30 years as sufficient if done by when needed in 2016.
…in the UK maybe, but a French pension is based on the number of trimestres paid into the system here.
Maybe I’ve misunderstood your comment & you are talking about your UK pension only?
This is definitely not correct for anyone reaching pension age recently or in the future. We double-checked my partner’s situation with HMRC since his is due next year and they clearly stated he needs 35 years. (In fact he has 41 years due to employers funding his university degree so he is, as @janeJones so beautifully said, contributing to the government’s slush fund 
)
I’ll have my 170 trimestres if I work until I’m 67. Thought I could possibly pay into the UK pension to easily add some trimestres to lower my pension age.
I’m a little concerned about Macrons pension reforms as who knows if we’ll have to work a lot longer for less money when retired. Also the privatization of French pension’s.
No, he isn’t.
His contributions go to paying existing pensioners, like everyone’s. If there is a surplus it’s supposed to be ring-fenced within the NI system, though in practice the government can effectively bypass this to make it generally available (excesses are supposed to be invested, if there is an excess the NI fund buys government bonds).
However, in general, the amount collected from NI and pension payments match fairly closely.
The idea that you are somehow “buying” your state pension is a common misconception.
Good luck to anyone trying to contact the pensions forecast unit. After my initial phone conversations in October last year, the system has become completely overloaded and contact by phone or email is next to impossible.
I complained about the abysmal service and having sent in the (CF form,?),which after 15 weeks resulted in a letter from them suggesting I had requested to make additional class 2 contributions whilst living abroad ( which I hadn’t!)
I finally got an email directing me to complete form BR11 to get a forecast in order to get a quote for missing/ short years so that can top up NI contributions and hopefully, this quote will include a payment code, so I can make up the gaps.
The letter also made it clear that specific details involving individuals pensions are not discussed by email as it is not considered secure! So don’t waste your time firing off loads of emails. Everything needs to be done by post it seems!
Government Gateway is available to use for various UK government benefits, pensions etc.
I used it to check my NI contributions, it shows the gaps (if any) and also the number of full years contributions. There is also a pensions section that can give you your pension estimation based on your NI contributions.
If you use this service you will at least see how many years they have recorded your contributions, any gaps and then hopefully you can decide whether to top up without having to write and wait for them to respond.
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I’m glad you have faith in the scrupulous way in which government accounting rules are adhered to. I don’t.
Perhaps not as scandalous as Chirac’s caisse noir, but i”m sure every department has a few blots.
Work where? UK or France?
I’m still confused. At the time of writing the standard French pension age is 62, but is looking like it will rise to 64 soon. Why does having more UK contributions change that?
In this case, yes they are adhered to as they are bound by statute, also they don’t need to particularly lack scruples as there is an easy, legitimate, way of moving any surplus in the NI fund to general government funds which is for the NI fund to effectively lend the government the surplus if there is one.
I’ve given up trying to use it - doesn’t work if you live abroad
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Same. I’ve used it from France without any issues. They’re even happy to use my French mobile number for me to receive the 2FA one time password.
I’m puzzled as to why it doesn’t work for you, @mark 
My partner got into it fine yesterday to check that nothing had changed since he last looked!
I think it was trying to credit check me IIRC
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You could top up UK pension to get a small UK pension, and then wouldn’t have to work to get max French pension perhaps?
You can use it to check but I seem to remember it won’t give you the option to pay any gaps. For that you need a pass code which is only issued after you fill out BR11 and receive your quotation.
Or phone them up (although hard to get theough!)
I have had to ring the International Pensions Office a few times recently and after about ten mins wait, got through and had very good and efficient service - they are NI based from all the accents I believe If you live here you need to contact that branch, not the ordinary UK pensions people. I claimed my UK pension entitlement via downloading their 22pages of forms, filled them in and then waited for the regulatory 4 months before my official retirement age and sent them by french International registered post because they want all your original birth certs etc and those were returned within a couple of weeks from NI who deal with the Wolverhampton section ofthe Int Pensions. Don’t wait for them to contact you prior to the four months application time, they are too busy currently.