Are you a woman over 60 who doesn’t get a state pension? Get £1000s back

EdInvestor

The nine years you can currently back pay (to 1996) is different from the 9 years mentioned in the press stories about the Govt back pedalling on women's pensions in the past few days.That relates to something different.

All very confusing. :rolleyes:

You can still pay back 9 years to 1996 (assuming none of the years are already accounted for by a small stamp payment).

What the Government has rejected is a proposal for people to pay nine missing years over their entire working lifetime, ie individual missing years going back over their 40 year working period.

It's only the last 9 years 1996-2007 that can be paid and that hasn't changed.

geoffW

Just a quick note to say my wife has had her pension increase come through at last. 25% increase and about £2000 in back pension. Not bad for about 5 minutes work.
Geoff

EdInvestor

Just to let people know whats happened for my wife.
After reading this thread I rang the direct telephone number 01912182550 and said my wife only gets £30.00 a week pension and can she pay for more contributions to increase her pension (she's 67, I'm 61). He said he'd look into it.

About 3 weeks later she had a letter to say if she paid NI contributions of ca. £1,200 she would then get an increase of £10 per week plus back payment of £2,800 of which £1,200 would be deducted.Of course she wrote straight back accepting the offer. It takes several weeks for payment to be received. So look forward eagerly to see if all goes well.

Well done Geoff:beer:

seven-day-weekend

Good, glad she has got it.

stevexpat

Can anyone advise.

My wife is approaching 60. She wanted a pension forcast but could not remember her NI number so phoned the appropriate number. The upshot is a letter stating that "she obviously was never issued with an NI number" she was then informed that she must have a "proof of identity interview" and a new number would (presumably) be issued.
The fact is that she has, in the past, paid NI contributions and should have been credited with contributions whilst at home raising children and in receipt of family allowance (that was the old name for it).
I presume that the issue of a new number will effectively "wipe out" her NI contibution record and she will not be entitled to any pension.
She would only be entitled to the minimum pension as she never returned to paid employment after the children were grown. What, if anything can we do?
All and any advice will be more than welcome.

EdInvestor

Ask your doctor for her NI number.

Did she pay the full stamp when working?If she only paid the small one she won't be entitled to HRP.

stevexpat

Her doctor had her NHS number not the NI number but we will certainly ask again.
A full stamp was paid as her employment was before marriage.
Thanks for the reply

mcc28_x

Hi

I'm just wondering if it may be worth my mum calling the advice line. She receives approx £60 pw state pension (dad gets full pension). She's in her 70's now and paid a mixture of full ans small stamp. Kids were born in 63 and 66 - she was working p/t from 78 onwards?

Do you think it would be possible to make up NI as suggested in the thread to get full SP?

cheers

Mark

EdInvestor

stevexpat wrote: »

I presume that the issue of a new number will effectively "wipe out" her NI contibution record and she will not be entitled to any pension.

Unlikely. She won't be the first person who has lost her NI number, but identity theft is a growing problem and they need to make sure she is who she claims to be.

She would only be entitled to the minimum pension as she never returned to paid employment after the children were grown.

She can pay voluntary class 3 contributions for up to 10 back years to 1997 which will boost her pension amount. She needs to have a minimum of 10 paid years to claim HRP. She will be entitled to 60% of your pension from when you retire, so check she's not paying for something she can already get.

stevexpat

Thanks for the answer but.......If they cant locate her even with all the details they have and subsequently issue a new NI number, how can they know her contribution record?

We have calculated that she has the necessary 10 years (I thought 9 years were required but no matter) but even class 3 back payed needs to be related to her original contribution record which, without the NI number that they were made against mean its brick wall time - or is it?