Reasons for my wife to pay self-employed NI contributions

JimmyTheWig

Hi,

My wife is a full-time mum. She does a little bit of self-employed work (buying and selling on eBay, etc) but never earns more than £1000 in a year.

She has been paying National Insurance contributions by virtue of not applying for a small-earnings excemption, but would obviously qualify if she wanted to.

My question is, then, what does she gain by paying them? I can think of...

1. State pension. Am I right in thinking that by claiming child benefit she will be qualifying for full state pension regardless of her self-employment?

2. Maternity Allowance. We don't plan on having any more children.

3. Sick Pay. Fair enough, she would lose access to this. But it's not particularly she'll need it.


Anything else I've missed? On the basis of the above there's not much to gain from paying it.


Thanks,

Jim

JimmyTheWig

Anyone got any ideas on this?

McKneff

No. 1, she will only receive NI credits re children for a certain amount of years.

She will need (as of todays legislation) 30 years, for a full state pension, she will have to calculate how many she already has ie pre'children, NI credits she is receiving now and how many she may pay in later years if she goes back to work and pays NI.