Child Benefit - transferring NI Credits to wife?

ad1927

OK, so a quick rundown.
Son is 12, and we have been getting child benefits since 2010 for him,
Step-daughter, arrived in UK at age 10, and we received child benefits for her between 2009 and 2017.
Wife - from overseas, met during a short stint of overseas work.  Wife wasn't entitled to claim any benefits, and has never claimed a benefit.  She worked for 5 years before a back injury meant she couldn't continue.  Was on ESA for a month, before being told she wasn't eligible.  Married in 2009, and has been in the UK for coming up to 14 years.
I have worked continuously from 1997-2023.  Between 1994-1997 I was in Uni.  1992-1994 I was in 6th form.  Essentially I will have no problems building up NI credits for a full state pension.  However, because of our financial situation, wife off work, no benefit entitlement, I strongly suspect my wife will have problems getting a full state pension and I have had little option than to reduce my pension contributions in the last year or so.  

I have read something, from the Government website, indicating that I can transfer the NI credits from me (as the claimant) to my wife for the period up to each child's 12th birthday.  As there is a brief period of overlap, I think this will equate to 13 years total.

Question:
1 Can I transfer the NI credits to my wife?
2 Are these NI credits then used in calculating my wife's potential pension entitlement
3 Would there be any ill effects from me doing this, considering I am fairly close to the qualifying 35 year period.

Many Thanks

Ad

calcotti

ad1927 said:

I am fairly close to the qualifying 35 year period.

Qualifying for state pension is in a transitional period. You may need or less than 35 years. You should obtain a State Pension forecast to find out you position.

if your wife would not have been to claim Child Benefit herself I think you will not be able to transfer credits to her.

If you are to transfer the credits then they would help build up her future pension entitlement. I are supposed to transfer within one year but HMRC can allow to backdate further.

There’s no point trying to transfer credits for years in which she worked if she was making contributions as a result of her work in those years.

Can you explain why she was told she could not qualify for ESA? Did she ever have a Work Capability Assessment? If she was found to have Limited Capability for Work she should be receiving NI credits as a result.

It would be her that requests the transfer
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/839872/CF411A.pdf