Pension Boosting article discussion

Loughton_Monkey

For what it's worth, my experience was slightly different.

I have worked for 34 years but taking into account 'incomplete' years [basically first and last] I clearly opted to pay Class 3 when I started working abroad for my last 6 years. At the time of going (obviously) I was going to need 40 years.

However, I had got to 30 years at about the time the changes were 'sorted' but not yet legislated. So I rang and asked about whether I should continue paying - what would have been my 31st year. I was told very specifically that paying for year 31 would be my best 'strategy', because as long as the legislation went through unaltered, I could claim a refund of the 31st year.

Something in me made me opt for what I saw was an easier alternative, which was to stop paying - I could always purchase extra years later if necessary. So sorry, I cannot confirm that a rebate would have been given to me.

However, for all I know, these are different animals. I was paying a 4-weekly voluntary Class 3. You were paying a 'lump sum' to buy a whole back year.

Probably worth a phone call? Ask them to double check - because you heard of a 'man down the pub' who got a rebate of unnecessary Class 3? Can't do any harm but don't spend it first!

s12

I did write to them again after the first refusal and got a similar reply.

geriann

about the information [in blue] below...

National Insurance (NI) Credits are normally automatically awarded for the weeks you were claiming and receiving any of the following benefits: Carer's Allowance, Jobseeker's Allowance, Incapacity Benefit, Employment and Support Allowance.
You also get them if you are a full-time parent who claims Child Benefit for someone under 16, or a full-time carer who claims Income Support. However, foster carers and others may have to claim it (find out more). Until 5 April 2010, these were called Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP). Years of HRP built up before then will count as qualifying NI credits.

i get income support, but i'm not a full-time carer.
i don't get any of the other benefits and i don't qualify for HRP.

i've never applied for carer's allowance.
i don't know if i can due to only being on income support...the disability rate.

when i first claimed benefits i did apply for incapacity benefit, but was told i couldn't get it because i didn't have enough NI contributions.
so i get claim NI contributions, because i haven't got enough NI contributions.

i find it strange that if i had children i'd get NI contributions, but because i've been a sensible person who wont have kids while ill and on benefits i can't get any. >:/

rockypaul

Hi My wife is 63 and get £39.06 per week state pension, she only worked 8 years paying a stamp and the rest as a housewife and mum.
Can you tell us if it is worth paying a booster or not..?
thanks

pag_2

Does anyone know the latest about the so called 'flat Rate' pension the government mentioned last autumn. I've telephoned the pension service and they don't appear to know. If introduced it could make a difference to paying back years!

Thanks

SnowMan

rockypaul wrote: »

Hi My wife is 63 and get £39.06 per week state pension, she only worked 8 years paying a stamp and the rest as a housewife and mum.
Can you tell us if it is worth paying a booster or not..?
thanks

There isn't enough information there to answer.

It depends in part on whether your wife's state pension is based on your contributions (i.e 60% of your basic state pension) or whether she has earned it based on her own contributions. If it is based on her own contributions then boosting may be worthwhile.

When did your wife reach SPA? When did you reach SPA (or when will you reach SPA). How much basic state pension (excluding SERPS, S2P and graduated pension) are you receiving? If you haven't reached SPA will you qualify for a full basic state pension yourself?

Susie25

Hi I've been told that as my state pension has been in place for 7 years I cannot do anything about the fact that I don't receive the full amount. I back paid the maximum just before I was 60 to boost my pension, but have not been awarded credits for the time I spent bringing up our children from 1973 to 1993. I did pay married womens rate before I had the children, so don't know if that affects my situation. No-one will tell me if I am entitled or can do anything about claiming. Can anyone help please?

jem16

Susie25 wrote: »

but have not been awarded credits for the time I spent bringing up our children from 1973 to 1993. I did pay married womens rate before I had the children, so don't know if that affects my situation.

It does affect the situation. As you paid the married woman's stamp you are not entitled to home responsibilities protection.

jon5505

I have received my State Pension Forecast and have 30 qualifying years.

I notice that I also qualify for Additional Pension. Is there any way to increase this by contributions?

The reason I ask is that I have a small private pension fund. It is hardly worth having and it would be nice to be able to transfer it in order to make some use of it.

leitmotif

I have a question not really addressed in Martin's article on boosting state pension. I have 11 qualifying years. HMRC wrote to me and told me I have two years (2004-2005 and 2005-2006) for which I haven't paid enough (I was living and working in the Netherlands during these years). I'm 34. Is it worth me buying them? I mean, I have another 30 odd years of paying NI, and presumably once I hit the target number of qualifying years the government won't allow me to stop paying NI, so wouldn't I just be throwing the money away by buying these two years when it's more than likely that I'll have hit the target number of qualifying years a good 12 years before retirement anyway?