National Insurance Contributions Gap

Iainm66

Hi,

I have been reviewing my online record of National Insurance contributions and was somewhat surprised to see that for 1984-85 the year was not regarded as a full year. It showed:

Paid employment: £11.97 & National Insurance credits: 28 weeks

I was still in full time education studying A levels from Sept 1983 until the end of the academic year in 1984 (not aged 19 until Jan 1985), I then registered as unemployed receiving unemployment benefit until 25th March 1985 when I started to work full time (this is the paid employment element). As far as I was concerned I was either in education, claiming unemployment benefit or working for all of that financial year. I wrote to HM Revenue and Customs in Feb 2020, asking them to look into it. Eventually in May 2020 after I complained I received a phone call, where the lady explained that credits for being in education stopped at age 16 so that is why there was a gap. I accepted her advice at the time, but having thought about it again I am sure I was entitled to NI credits from 16-18yrs old as I was regarded as in full time education. I have missed something or just going mad? or are they wrong? I know it only adds about £5 per week to my eventual pension, but still...

All thoughts welcome.

Iain.

xylophone

 Before 6/4/ 2010, to protect the NI records of students who stayed in full time education for tax years commencing on or after 6 April 1975, the regulations allowed  Class 3 NICs credit which counted for State Pension or bereavement benefits only.

These starting credits could be awarded for the full three tax years containing their 16th, 17th and 18th birthdays, whether or not the young person was in full time education, and were recorded on the NPS account.

Have you obtained a state pension forecast?

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

Iainm66

This is the start of my contribution record. Is it because they gave me youth credits for 3 years already?

1984-85 Year is not full

1983-84 Full year 1982-83 Full year 1981-82 Full year ( I would have been 16 in Jan 1982)

eskbanker

Iainm66 said:

This is the start of my contribution record. Is it because they gave me youth credits for 3 years already?

1984-85 Year is not full

1983-84 Full year

1982-83 Full year

1981-82 Full year ( I would have been 16 in Jan 1982)

Yes - as the tax year in which you reached 18 ended in April 1984, it wasn't until you started claiming unemployment benefit that NI credits restarted, so the implication is that you were on the dole for 28 weeks up to March 1985, does that sound right?

molerat

You have full years for the years in which you had your 16th, 17th and 18th birthdays, the years when the free credits would have applied, so no right to a freebie for 84-85.

xylophone

The above shows that you have credits for the tax years in which your 16th/17th/18th birthday fell.
The tax year 1984 - 85 began April 6 1984 and ended April 5 1985.
You would have claimed unemployment benefit  between August 1984 and March 1985 which presumably accounts for the 28 weeks credits?

Iainm66

Thanks for all the replies. Makes sense now. Just wish I'd have known about it at the time as it would have been possible to make extra contributions. The government need to do much more to raise NI contributions gaps. Most folk will have no idea until it's largely too late.

xylophone

Have you obtained a State Pension Forecast?
What exactly does it say?
https://www.gov.uk/check-state-pension