State Pension & NI Payments

NarkT_Ov

My partner hasn't paid NI since the birth of our son in 1993. Think she will have been paying it since she was 16 though till 93, maybe 16 years in total.

How do we check what she's paid in?

How does it affect her state pension?

Can we address matters if state pension is reduced because of lack of NI payments?

Mojisola

Has she been receiving Child Benefit?

https://www.gov.uk/child-benefit/what-youll-get
If your child is under 12 and you’re not working or don’t earn enough to pay National Insurance contributions, Child Benefit can help you qualify for National Insurance credits.

These credits count towards your State Pension. They protect it by making sure you don’t have gaps in your National Insurance record.

NarkT_Ov

Mojisola wrote: »

Has she been receiving Child Benefit?

Yes we had those along with child tax credit

Mojisola

She should ask for a pension statement to see how many years she has towards her pension -

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

NarkT_Ov

So she may have 'gaps' after credits stopped a few years back then

p00hsticks

You can check your NI record in a number of ways as described here
https://www.gov.uk/check-national-insurance-record

You say "we" had child benefit - hopefully it was in her name rather than yours, as this will have ensured she has been creditted with NI contributions whilst bringing up the children.

It will also be worth her getting a state pension statement
https://www.gov.uk/state-pension-statement

Depending on her age now she may be able to get a forecast of what she'll get under the new rules coming in next year.

If she is short of the years required and is not likely to return to work, she can "buy" years

NarkT_Ov

p00hsticks wrote: »

You say "we" had child benefit - hopefully it was in her name rather than yours,

Yes her name

p00hsticks wrote: »

If she is short of the years required and is not likely to return to work, she can "buy" years

Tell me how

Mojisola

Google -
"national insurance buying extra years"

xylophone

https://www.gov.uk/new-state-pension/overview

http://taxaid.org.uk/guides/information/an-introduction-to-income-tax-national-insurance-and-tax-credits/national-insurance/national-insurance-for-employees-and-employers/national-insurance-thresholds

Did she receive any credits as a low earner?

NarkT_Ov

xylophone wrote: »

Did she receive any credits as a low earner?

No

So she falls here in one of the links as she's on £110pw currently and was on £107 until a few weeks back.

f) Lower Earnings Limit
If your earnings in any job are less than the Lower Earnings Limit (£111 per week for 2014/15; £112 per week for 2015-16), then you will pay no National Insurance and you will earn no National Insurance benefit rights.