Worried about NI gaps - student / single mother / income support

Tammy2

Does anyone know if I would have received NI contributions as a full time Uni student BUT claiming child benefit and income support (single mother)? This would have been between 1986 and 1995. I'm worried I may have a short fall in excess of 10 years.

xylophone

Have you requested a pension statement? This should clarify your position.

https://www.gov.uk/state-pension-statement

Tammy2

I've downloaded the form to print out and send off.

Just wondered if anyone knew. :stresshead:

JezR

You should have received Home Responsibilities Protection for that period as it falls between 6 April 1978 and 5 April 2010. This should have been applied to your record automatically as you were awarded Child Benefit for a child under age 16 providing you gave the Child Benefit Office your NI number at the time.

HRP should have been changed into normal NI credits. Get your National Insurance Record online. If the credits are not shown, don't worry as you can claim them with online application form - read these notes first.

greenglide

If you use the HMRC contributions service you will find the answer to your query. Go to https://online.hmrc.gov.uk/shortforms/form/NIStatement

Responses tend to be quicker due to lots of queries due to the new State Pension scheme starting next year.

You do know that under the new scheme you will require 35 years contributions rather than 30 as at present?

You "should" have received credits if you received Child Benefit - HMRC arent bothered if you are also a student.

xylophone

https://www.gov.uk/new-state-pension/overview
Might be worth a read.

Tammy2

Thanks everyone. Just submitted the online request form.