NIC Small earnings exception

Sally14

Hello everyone!
I wonder if anybody can help me with this query.
My husband (now 54) worked for 31 years but for the last few years has been doing some unpaid voluntary work and we have been paying the NIC Class 3 voluntary contributions. Times are now a little tighter and he needs to try and earn some cash and the plan is a
part-time self-employed idea we have (so that the voluntary work can continue). The earnings will fall below the “small earnings” threshold for class 2 (self-employed) contributions BUT if we stop the class 3 contributions and apply for the “small earnings” exception – does he still get credit towards his state pension?
Hope someone can clarify this for me……….I have tried the NIC helpline but its always been engaged!

Cook_County

Your husband should cancel the class 3 and pay class 2 instead. Applying for the small earnings exception will not give him state pension credits but paying class 2 at just over £100 a year is a very cheap way to buy into the state pension and costs less than class 3...

Sally14

Cook_County wrote:

Applying for the small earnings exception will not give him state pension credits but paying class 2 at just over £100 a year is a very cheap way to buy into the state pension and costs less than class 3...

Thanks for that - I couldn't fathom whether you got credits towards the state pension with a small earnings exemption (couldn't honestly imagine that you would) but glad to have it confirmed and there is a saving of £4-95 per week doing the class 2 contributions!