Shortfall in National Insurance Contributions

fiftyeighter_2

yes would obviously like to make up difference in pension. but lost my job last week (closures) so am desperatly seeking employment. though who would want to employ an up and coming pensioner i know not. i have filled form in for pension forecast and sent a week ago so hopefully should have something back soon. and just to assure you i will be hanging on to my status as fiftyeighter as long as is legally possible. lol. thanks for all your help snowman. enjoy your evening.

seven-day-weekend

Fiftyeighter,f you are signing on you will receive NI credits which count towards your pension.

fiftyeighter_2

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

Fiftyeighter,f you are signing on you will receive NI credits which count towards your pension.

I must be getting old and going senile:rotfl: how about this I havn't even thought about signing on. I have a partner so didn't think about it. How stupid can you get. Maybe they should make an allowance and give me my pension early. I sure as heck wont get another job with my lack of intelligence. Thanks for that suggestion:T

SnowMan

fiftyeighter wrote: »

I must be getting old and going senile:rotfl: how about this I havn't even thought about signing on. I have a partner so didn't think about it. How stupid can you get. Maybe they should make an allowance and give me my pension early. I sure as heck wont get another job with my lack of intelligence. Thanks for that suggestion:T

Yes sign on straight away because they won’t be able to backdate your benefit. If you are “actively seeking work” you will should be able to claim contributions based Jobseekers Allowance (JSA), although whether you qualify will depend on whether you have enough national insurance contributions over the past 3 years or so. It doesn’t matter that your partner is working and it doesn’t matter if you’ve got savings. Contributions based JSA is paid for 6 months at a rate of £60.50 per week (increasing in April). If you are in receipt of a private pension or occupational pension your contributions based JSA will reduce. Also claiming JSA will give you your national insurance credits as seven-day-weekend has said.

Some people can claim INCOME based JSA after the 6 months is up but as your partner is working (?) and that is assessed based on your joint circumstances for couples living together you probably won’t qualify for that.

Some more info on contributions based JSA on the CAB website at

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/life/benefits/benefits_for_people_looking_for_work.htm#the_two_types_of_jobseekers_allowance

oldnewhand

I don't know if anyone can offer me advice. I have just retired and now find out that I am a little short of the 39 years NI contributions I need as a woman born before 1950. Martin's page about state pensions says you will be informed anually if there is any shortfall. I wasn't and assumed that I would have been credited these years from back in the 1970's when I was child rearing. Not so say HM Revenue and Customs and it's not a legal requirement for them to inform of a shortfall. I am willing to pay for the back years if I have to but I wanted to do this before April's hike as I am only £2.50 a week short of the maximum; but it'll mount up if I live as long as I hope! But under the 6 year rule I have to wait until after April 6th; seems unfair as I was not made aware of the shortfall.

EdInvestor

oldnewhand wrote: »

I have just retired and now find out that I am a little short of the 39 years NI contributions I need as a woman born before 1950. Martin's page about state pensions says you will be informed anually if there is any shortfall. I wasn't and assumed that I would have been credited these years from back in the 1970's when I was child rearing.

Credits for HRP only started in 1978.

I am willing to pay for the back years if I have to but I wanted to do this before April's hike as I am only £2.50 a week short of the maximum; but it'll mount up if I live as long as I hope! But under the 6 year rule I have to wait until after April 6th; seems unfair as I was not made aware of the shortfall.

If you want to pay a back year before 1996/97, you can't do it before April 6 - this applies to everyone whoi is eligible to pay these earlier back years.It has nothing to do with the 6 year rule. If you want to pay a back year between 1996/7 and 2007/08 you can do it now.

pineapple

I tried to get a forecast last year but was unable to as they were revamping the computer system. Now I find that the cost of any supplemental NI contributions is to double (approx) w.e.f April 6th. Is it just me? There hasn't been much publicity about this!! I tried to register for the online forecasting last week and unlike most other online activities, they send out your activation code by snail mail - which can take a week. Finally I got it but of course their online forecasting is currently down due to their being flooded out with enquiries. After trying both online and telephone I finally spoke to a real person today and it seems it will take 10 days to get a pension forecast to me. By which time I will of course have missed the deadline to pay for any gaps at the current rate. Hey ho what a surprise. It's April Fools Day and this lot certainly are a joke.

sheffix2

Agree with Pineapple that it does seem impossible now to back pay for any years short since a postal forecast takes 7-10 days and if you take the online route you have to wait for an activation code to be sent through which takes 7-10 days. This despite having all the registration details from online tax assessment which apparently gain access to the Government Gateway service. My original phone call appeared to suggest there was still time if I went online to request a forecast seemingly not knowing about the activation code send out time. Oh well, I need to pay more attention next time I guess!

dougz_2

sheffix2 wrote: »

it does seem impossible now to back pay for any years short since a postal forecast takes 7-10 days

You can still try and work it out for yourself. Some years prices are going to double so if you think you are missing any of those it could be worth taking a gamble of overpaying and being refused a refund.

fbrj

sheffix2 wrote: »

Agree with Pineapple that it does seem impossible now to back pay for any years short since a postal forecast takes 7-10 days and if you take the online route you have to wait for an activation code to be sent through which takes 7-10 days. This despite having all the registration details from online tax assessment which apparently gain access to the Government Gateway service. My original phone call appeared to suggest there was still time if I went online to request a forecast seemingly not knowing about the activation code send out time. Oh well, I need to pay more attention next time I guess!

Have you seen this on the pension website:

"The Pension Service and HMRC have agreed that if a customer requests a pension forecast before 6 April, but receives the forecast later, we will accept payment of Class 3 National Insurance Contributions at the pre 6 April 2009 rates, if the payment is made within one calendar month of the customer receiving the forecast"

I think you may be ok...!

Here is the link (last para under "Important Information"
http://www.thepensionservice.gov.uk/resourcecentre/e-services/home.asp