Home Responsibilities Protection

sueward

what's the deal with Home Responsibilities Protection? I've had a letter from pension service about this not being added from 1978 and i may be entitled to more state pension. I am 64 now and been receiving state pension from my 60th. If I claim this and am eligible, how much difference will it make? Does anyone have a clue to how much difference each non working year til my kids reched 16 that I may be eligible for would make? I dont want to go through the whole rigmarole only to find I lose the small amount of pension savings credit that I get. Their website says that you can't claim for lost benefit for the years up to now - but a phone call said there's repayment of the years I've lost. I'm very confused - and clarity would really help. Many thanks Sue

CIS

HRP would be automatcally awarded to your NI record in most cases if you qualified.

Whether HRP would help your record depends on various things - the dates they were born, whether you received Child Benefit, how much you earned in the years you would have been eligible for it and whether you paid the 'small stamp.

If they are asking you whether you wish to have it awarded because it wasn't awarded previously due to an error then you have nothing at all to lose by asking them to award it.

sueward

Thanks Fantastically Fervent MoneySaving Super Fan - the letter says that when they upgraded HM revenue and customs computer, the info from the child benefit computer was missed, so they have no record of me having received family allowance from 1978. My children were both still at school then and there were a few years that I wasn't working, so it seems on the face of it, that I should be eligible.

vix2000

From what I can make out, it would only make a difference if you aren't geting a full state pension. If you already have the necessary number of credits for a full pension HRP would not make a difference. I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong!!!!! I am in the process of trying to get a pension forecast so have been reading up on HRP and this is my understanding of it. HTH

CIS

From what I can make out, it would only make a difference if you aren't geting a full state pension. If you already have the necessary number of credits for a full pension HRP would not make a difference. I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong!!!!! I am in the process of trying to get a pension forecast so have been reading up on HRP and this is my understanding of it. HTH

Your right - HRP can make only make a difference if you dont already have a full pension. Even if you don't it may not make a difference ( I spent many unhappy hours explaining to customers why this is) although its always best to make sure its been applied anyway.