PIP - NI Credit towards state pension

Clive_Woody

My wife has MS and has recently applied for PIP. If she is successful will this include NI credit towards her state pension?

We checked her online record and 11yrs of full NI contributions still required. Our youngest has just turned 12 so she will no longer be getting credit from claiming child benefits (she is not working and unable to be able to do so).

Any help much appreciated 

Spoonie_Turtle

No, PIP doesn't give NI credits.  ESA does, and it sounds like she doesn't have the right contributions to be able to fully claim ESA but she can do a credits-only claim.  She would have to have a Work Capability Assessment to determine if she's eligible for NI credits on the basis of having limited capability for work.

poppy12345

Clive_Woody said:

My wife has MS and has recently applied for PIP. If she is successful will this include NI credit towards her state pension?

We checked her online record and 11yrs of full NI contributions still required. Our youngest has just turned 12 so she will no longer be getting credit from claiming child benefits (she is not working and unable to be able to do so).

Any help much appreciated 

No, PIP doesn't pay any NI credits. New style ESA pays class 1 but she will need to have paid the correct amount of NI contributions from working in tax years April 2018 to March 2020. If she hasn't paid the correct amount of NI then she can apply for a credits only claim but she will need a fit note from her GP.

Universal Credit also pays class 3 NI credits but this is a means tested benefits and qualifying will depend on both of your circumstances because you'll need to claim as a couple. A claim for this will end any tax credits you may already be claiming. If you have savings of more than £16,000 you're excluded from claiming.

Clive_Woody

Spoonie_Turtle said:

No, PIP doesn't give NI credits.  ESA does, and it sounds like she doesn't have the right contributions to be able to fully claim ESA but she can do a credits-only claim.  She would have to have a Work Capability Assessment to determine if she's eligible for NI credits on the basis of having limited capability for work.

Thanks Spoonie. With ESA being means tested I am not sure she would qualify for this as she has savings over the limit.

Clive_Woody

poppy12345 said:

Clive_Woody said:

My wife has MS and has recently applied for PIP. If she is successful will this include NI credit towards her state pension?

We checked her online record and 11yrs of full NI contributions still required. Our youngest has just turned 12 so she will no longer be getting credit from claiming child benefits (she is not working and unable to be able to do so).

Any help much appreciated 

No, PIP doesn't pay any NI credits. New style ESA pays class 1 but she will need to have paid the correct amount of NI contributions from working in tax years April 2018 to March 2020. If she hasn't paid the correct amount of NI then she can apply for a credits only claim but she will need a fit note from her GP.

Universal Credit also pays class 3 NI credits but this is a means tested benefits and qualifying will depend on both of your circumstances because you'll need to claim as a couple. A claim for this will end any tax credits you may already be claiming. If you have savings of more than £16,000 you're excluded from claiming.

Thanks, my income and our savings I believe would preclude us from claiming UC, so I guess we would have to buy NI credits to ensure her record is complete.

poppy12345

Clive_Woody said:

Spoonie_Turtle said:

No, PIP doesn't give NI credits.  ESA does, and it sounds like she doesn't have the right contributions to be able to fully claim ESA but she can do a credits-only claim.  She would have to have a Work Capability Assessment to determine if she's eligible for NI credits on the basis of having limited capability for work.

Thanks Spoonie. With ESA being means tested I am not sure she would qualify for this as she has savings over the limit.

It's no longer possible to claim for the old Income Related ESA because Universal Credit has replaced this. As advised, the only ESA now is New style ESA and this is based on Ni contributions from the years stated above (if she's worked at all in those years) if she hasn't worked and you don't qualify for UC then she can claim the NsESA as a credits only claim. For this she will need a fit note from her GP and go through the work capability assessment process, just like she would if she's receiving the money.

https://www.chdauk.co.uk/employment-and-support-allowance-esa

New style ESA here. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-style-employment-and-support-allowance

Alice_Holt

Clive_Woody said:

poppy12345 said:

Clive_Woody said:

My wife has MS and has recently applied for PIP. If she is successful will this include NI credit towards her state pension?

We checked her online record and 11yrs of full NI contributions still required. Our youngest has just turned 12 so she will no longer be getting credit from claiming child benefits (she is not working and unable to be able to do so).

Any help much appreciated 

No, PIP doesn't pay any NI credits. New style ESA pays class 1 but she will need to have paid the correct amount of NI contributions from working in tax years April 2018 to March 2020. If she hasn't paid the correct amount of NI then she can apply for a credits only claim but she will need a fit note from her GP.

Universal Credit also pays class 3 NI credits but this is a means tested benefits and qualifying will depend on both of your circumstances because you'll need to claim as a couple. A claim for this will end any tax credits you may already be claiming. If you have savings of more than £16,000 you're excluded from claiming.

... so I guess we would have to buy NI credits to ensure her record is complete.

      Or make a credits only NsESA claim. 

Clive_Woody

poppy12345 said:

Clive_Woody said:

Spoonie_Turtle said:

No, PIP doesn't give NI credits.  ESA does, and it sounds like she doesn't have the right contributions to be able to fully claim ESA but she can do a credits-only claim.  She would have to have a Work Capability Assessment to determine if she's eligible for NI credits on the basis of having limited capability for work.

Thanks Spoonie. With ESA being means tested I am not sure she would qualify for this as she has savings over the limit.

It's no longer possible to claim for the old Income Related ESA because Universal Credit has replaced this. As advised, the only ESA now is New style ESA and this is based on Ni contributions from the years stated above (if she's worked at all in those years) if she hasn't worked and you don't qualify for UC then she can claim the NsESA as a credits only claim. For this she will need a fit note from her GP and go through the work capability assessment process, just like she would if she's receiving the money.

https://www.chdauk.co.uk/employment-and-support-allowance-esa

New style ESA here. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-style-employment-and-support-allowance

Thanks for explaining and apologies for my misunderstanding. She did work part time (very limited hours) as a teaching assistant up until Jan 2019, but nothing since then.

calcotti

Just to add. To make a 'credits only' claim you apply for new style ESA in the normal way. DWP will check the NI record and advise that ESA cannot be paid but should still proceed with the Work Capability Assessment/ If found to have Limited Capability for Work DWP should inform HMRC so that NI credita are added to her record.

Clive_Woody

calcotti said:

Just to add. To make a 'credits only' claim you apply for new style ESA in the normal way. DWP will check the NI record and advise that ESA cannot be paid but should still proceed with the Work Capability Assessment/ If found to have Limited Capability for Work DWP should inform HMRC so that NI credita are added to her record.

Thanks, really appreciate this guidance as Google was leaving me suitably confused.