Service wife has been awarded NI credits for periods abroad with RAF husband in 1970/80s

LeonW

As part of the Government's Covenant with the forces my wife has recently been awarded NI credits for 6 years when she accompanied me abroad for 2 tours during 1975 - 82 .
She retired in 2007 so her OAP is the old scheme. HMRC has acknowledged this by letter and she now has 28 qualifying years but we have not been told how much this will increase her pension by or if the increase will be backdated to when her OAP started.
We believe the increase to her pension should 6 X £4.48 per week, but does anybody know if this increase would normally be backdated to the start of her OAP ?
Thanks in advance.

Silvertabby

LeonW said:

As part of the Government's Covenant with the forces my wife has recently been awarded NI credits for 6 years when she accompanied me abroad for 2 tours during 1975 - 82 .
She retired in 2007 so her OAP is the old scheme. HMRC has acknowledged this by letter and she now has 28 qualifying years but we have not been told how much this will increase her pension by or if the increase will be backdated to when her OAP started.
We believe the increase to her pension should 6 X £4.48 per week, but does anybody know if this increase would normally be backdated to the start of her OAP ?
Thanks in advance.

My understanding is that concession only applies to ladies who reach SPA after April 2016, as new scheme pensioners can't rely on their husband's contributions.

ADD:  Just had a look at the claim form, and the covering information does state this is for women born after March 1953 (and who hadn't previously opted to pay the married woman's stamp).

What exactly did the letter say?

xylophone

Just had a look at the claim form, and the covering information does state this is for women born after March 1953 (and who hadn't previously opted to pay the married woman's stamp).

This does appear to be the case. If by retiring in 2007 the OP means that his wife reached SPA in 2007, she was born in 1947.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/national-insurance-credits-for-partners-of-armed-forces-personnel-overseas#class-3-credits-for-postings-on-or-after-6-april-1975

Class 3 credits for postings on or after 6 April 1975

Apply for Class 3 credits if:

• you were born on or after 6 April 1953 (if a woman) or 6 April 1951 (if a man)
• married to or the civil partner of a member of the armed forces
• you went with them on an overseas posting on or after 6 April 1975

xylophone

See the link above.

It would appear that your wife was not eligible to apply and yet you say that she has had a letter confirming that she has been awarded credits.

What does your wife's  latest increase in benefit letter show as her Basic State Pension?

LeonW

Sorry for the delay in answering - the letter she had from HMRC simply said they had received her application and she had been awarded NI credits for the years that we were abroad - they listed the years and said her NI account had been updated. Her NI account now shows the increase to 28 full years.
As your comments say from the information on the form (which we missed) she should be ineligible to apply but they are obviously aware of her circumstances so why have they awarded her these credits ? She answered all the questions on the form truthfully so has not provided false information. Should she try to contact them to question this or just let things run it's course ?
Thanks

Silvertabby

LeonW said:

Sorry for the delay in answering - the letter she had from HMRC simply said they had received her application and she had been awarded NI credits for the years that we were abroad - they listed the years and said her NI account had been updated. Her NI account now shows the increase to 28 full years.
As your comments say from the information on the form (which we missed) she should be ineligible to apply but they are obviously aware of her circumstances so why have they awarded her these credits ? She answered all the questions on the form truthfully so has not provided false information. Should she try to contact them to question this or just let things run it's course ?
Thanks

It's likely to be a mistake on the part of the person who dealt with the form.  I would ring to clarify - better not to receive the extra pension at all, than to receive it and then have to pay it back later.