State pension - missing years

bjorn_toby_wilde

Just been looking up my state pension and checking my NI contributions. I find that I have three years that are marked as "year is not full". I was in further education for most of those three years (81 to 84).

Does anyone know whether I should have received NI credits for those years? If so how do you go about applying to have the years reinstated?

Thanks in advance

Dazed_and_confused

Before you expend too much energy on this will it actually make any difference to your pension?

You are not wholly under the new rules but are a transitional case.

What does your forecast show as your actual entitlement to 05:04:2018 and how many extra qualifying years do you expect to accrue?

molerat

No credits for being in education. You got 3 years for age 16 - 18 but after that you need to earn them.

bjorn_toby_wilde

Thanks guys. That answers my question about further education.

The question arose because I'm a bit confused by what the Gov.uk pension site is telling me. The information on there seems a bit contradictory.

1. The site says "You'll need 35 qualifying years to get the full new State Pension. You'll get a proportion of the new State Pension if you have between 10 and 35 qualifying years"

2. I checked my NI contribution record which says I have 37 fully paid years

3. My pension summary says that I need to contribute for another 4 years to qualify for the full £164.35

I'm obviously missing something but I'm not sure what.

Dazed_and_confused

You are under transitional rules not the new rules.

So you got a start amount determined at April 2016 and if this was less than the standard "new" State Pension then additional years can make this upto a maximum of £164.35.

The 35 years really only applies to those starting on their journey to State Pension from April 2016.

bjorn_toby_wilde

Thanks Dazed and confused.

Would the start amount being lower have anything to do with contracting out?

Dazed_and_confused

Probably yes.

You are generally seen as a winner under the new system.

You have paid lower NI whilst contracted out.

You have accrued a company pension whilst contracted out.

Assuming you are you enough to get the four years in then you have the opportunity to make your State Pension up to £164.35.

xylophone

Try post 12 here https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/75542994#Comment_75542994

bjorn_toby_wilde

Thanks guys. You've cleared that one up for me.