NI credits have been awarded when not working or claiming unemployment benefits?

Heres_the_deal

My sister gave up work three years ago due to ill health, she has no need to claim any unemployment benefits as her husband works, although she does receive PIP.
On checking her NI record the other day she noticed all her NI credits are up to date? The past three years on the record state: 'These may have been added to your record if you were ill/disabled, unemployed, caring for someone full-time or on jury service'.

Checking the Gov website, she would only receive NI credits due to illness if she was claiming ESA which she does not.  Any ideas what is going on?

McKneff

I am curious, why is she not ckaiming ESA

Heres_the_deal

McKneff said:

I am curious, why is she not ckaiming ESA

She can't as her husband works. In the early days after leaving work, she was told she could claim ‘contribution-based’ ESA but that was limited to a year. She wouldn't claim it regardless.

AskAsk

I have NI credits from 16 to 19.  Not sure how I managed to accumulate those as I don't remember working.  But I am not going to complain!

MovingForwards

Possibly due to the new way NI credits and state pension were calculated when the change happened:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en/articles/the-state-pension-rules-and-changes-explained/amp

Maybe her husband pays them for her.

As a side note she does need to make sure she has full / near full state pension when retiring to provide independent means of financing things and not being dependent on her husband. It's near the bottom of the forecast as to how she is getting on with it and how many more years are needed.

The pensions board will be able to clarify how the changes impacted and if any were added to records.

TELLIT01

As she claimed ESA her contribution credits may continue despite having no entitlement to any cash payment.

AskAsk

TELLIT01 said:

As she claimed ESA her contribution credits may continue despite having no entitlement to any cash payment.

the OP says she didn't claim any ESA

t0rt0ise

MovingForwards said:

Possibly due to the new way NI credits and state pension were calculated when the change happened:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en/articles/the-state-pension-rules-and-changes-explained/amp

Maybe her husband pays them for her.

If they were paid for her it woul not be classed as credits but would say voluntary payments.

Heres_the_deal

Bit of a delay in replying, but I had to go back and ask if any of the above applied.
Husband has not paid anything towards her NI credits and she's never claimed ESA or any other benefits.  Her contributions total over 40 years, however, its the last three years where she has not worked / claimed which has her scratching her head wondering 'who' paid for them. Only conclusion is some kind of error ?

TELLIT01

How old is your sister?  At one time NI credits were applied automatically once a person reached 60.  I don't know if that is still true.

Heres_the_deal

TELLIT01 said:

How old is your sister?  At one time NI credits were applied automatically once a person reached 60.  I don't know if that is still true.

She's 58 (don't tell her I told you)