Just left work, any point in registering for employment

xylophone

https://www.gov.uk/national-insurance-credits/eligibility


Men approaching 65
Your situation How to get credits
You’re between the current women’s State Pension age and 65, live in the UK at least 183 days a year and you’re in one of these situations: you don’t work, you don’t earn enough to make a qualifying year, or you’re self-employed with a small earnings exception You get Class 1 credits automatically

Archi_Bald

johnaka wrote: »

yes you need to register whether you seeking work or not.

Wrong, you don't need to

johnaka wrote: »

even if you do have 35 years or more ,you still need to pay it.
the only time you stop paying is when you get state pension.
this is what I was told at job centre when I told them I was signing off since I was not getting paid and I certainly wasn't going to any more seminars. but they ni has to be paid due to NHS treatment and the rest.

Again, you don't need to

You might want to register, and you might want to pay additional NICs, and you are entitled to do that. That's a world from needing to do it.

johnaka

I'm only going by what I was told and that was 6 years ago.
so whether its right or wrong you decide bud.

jamesd

It's wrong for people who have retired or who have already acquired enough to get the maximum achievable state pension and who aren't working. Those who have retired and who aren't working aren't expected or required to pay NI and after state pension age they pay no employee NI from wages.

For those who are working under state pension age the law requires paying NI, regardless of whether they already have the maximum state pension entitlement or not.

For someone not working at any age there is no requirement to pay NI or to sign on. It's particularly common for women to not work, not sign on and not pay NI and that's entirely fine.

It isn't necessary to get the state pension to stop having NI deducted from pay. All it takes is reaching state pension age.

The Job Centre person was probably just trying to explain that NI pays for more than just unemployment money.

smjxm09

For those who are working under state pension age the law requires paying NI, regardless of whether they already have the maximum state pension entitlement or not.

Rubbish. You don't pay NI if you earn less than £7,956 in this financial year.

I am paying £2000 per month in additional voluntary contributions into my company pension and pay no tax or national insurance as my gross pay is below that figure.

jamesd

Yes, there's a minimum income limit of £153.01 a week below which there is no NI to pay. Just another reason why the Job centre person was wrong.

peat

Thanks for the replies folks, finding out my contribution status is easier said than done, see below:

"Thank you for your request for a statement of your National Insurance account.
This message confirms that we have successfully received your email and we will now confirm your information to ensure the security of your personal details.

It can take several weeks to prepare a statement of your National Insurance account and we will send your statement to you by post.

If for any reason we are unable to deal with your request, we will email you or send a letter to let you know."


Unbelieveable!


Peat

jamesd

A delay of a few weeks is normal, no reason to be surprised until it's a month after the request.

mgdavid

the process and timing is pretty much as it has been for some years; that's why it is prudent to do these things in advance, as part of retirement planning. As you are only 63 I cannot see that you will be disadvantaged in any way by waiting a few weeks.