National Insurance

knittingnanny1102

Is anyone able  to advise..........  I thought you needed 35 years for a full pension (currently) but my record shows I have 36 years of full contributions but when I select the link to display the pension forecast it tells me I am only due £199.64 (1 year short) and telling me I have x amount of years left to make  to a full pension.  which if I pay a  missing part year would then be 37 years  I am just a bit confused 

TadleyBaggie

The 35 years thing only applies to people that started their working life since April 2016, anyone working before that date may need many more years (possibly up to 49).

molerat

You have been misled by the press headlines.  35 years only applies to those born this century, everyone else with a pre 2016 NI history is on a hybrid scheme and needing, from actual reports on here, anything between 28 to 50 years of contributions depending on individual circumstances.  If you have in excess of 35 years and do not already have the full £203.85 then you were contracted out at some stage as shown on your forecast at the bottom of the page with a click link to a COPE amount, the amount that was deducted from your "new pension" starting amount at April 2016.

german_keeper

I think it's probably good news for you. I'm no expert on this but just on the limited info you have supplied I suspect that you, like me, are a big winner under the 2016 New State Pension rules. Nobody actually loses out but if anyone does my wife is probably one of those but as a low earner I don't think she has "lost" much. So overall we are very happy with our lot.

Probably worth doing a bit of research into the ins and outs of NSP rules if only to avoid becoming a bit bitter and twisted about things even if you have no reason to be. My sister is in that category, even though she is a big winner,  and isn't even prepared to listen to my explanation as in her words she is one of those who always "get shafted". 

phonek

TadleyBaggie said:

The 35 years thing only applies to people that started their working life since April 2016, anyone working before that date may need many more years (possibly up to 49).

That's not true. The 'age vs. qualifying years' rules are here: 
www.citizensadvice.org.uk/cymraeg/Dyled-ac-arian/pensions/types-of-pension/state-pension/

Blue_Butterfly

I have recently claimed my State Pension and needed 50 years of NI to get the full payment of £203.85. This is because my entire career was in the NHS with a contracted out pension. I'm actually a big winner as I was able to improve my State Pension from what I would have received under the old system.

The old pre 2016 system was 2 tier with a basic state pension, and additional state pension which was mostly accrued by people who were not contracted out into occupational pensions. April 2016 was a "reset", everyone who had previously paid NI were given a starting amount of what they were entitled to at that point in time. Those of us who were contracted out had little or no additional state pension to take into account because we weren't paying into it. The very different numbers of years needed that have been reported is mostly due to the amounts of additional state pension that each individual has accrued pre 2016 in their starting amount. Each year of NI from 2016 onwards adds 1/35th of the full amount until you reach the maximum amount (currently £203.85), which then only increases with the triple lock. 

molerat

phonek said:

TadleyBaggie said:

The 35 years thing only applies to people that started their working life since April 2016, anyone working before that date may need many more years (possibly up to 49).

That's not true. The 'age vs. qualifying years' rules are here: 
www.citizensadvice.org.uk/cymraeg/Dyled-ac-arian/pensions/types-of-pension/state-pension/

A gross oversimplification and dumbed down.  The fact is that only those starting their NI history from 2016 - so mainly those born this century - needs 35 years, no more and no less, for the full new pension.  Everyone with a pre 2016 history needs a different number of years depending on their circumstances.  That number of years may coincidentally be 35 for some, likely the vast majority being stay at home mums and the self employed.

Silvertabby

molerat said:

phonek said:

TadleyBaggie said:

The 35 years thing only applies to people that started their working life since April 2016, anyone working before that date may need many more years (possibly up to 49).

That's not true. The 'age vs. qualifying years' rules are here: 
www.citizensadvice.org.uk/cymraeg/Dyled-ac-arian/pensions/types-of-pension/state-pension/

A gross oversimplification and dumbed down.  The fact is that only those starting their NI history from 2016 - so mainly those born this century - needs 35 years, no more and no less, for the full new pension.  Everyone with a pre 2016 history needs a different number of years depending on their circumstances.  That number of years may coincidentally be 35 for some, likely the vast majority being stay at home mums and the self employed.

From these boards alone, the number of NI years needed to qualify for the full nSP (during the transitional period) ranges from 28 to 50.

Entirely possible that many people will just happen  to hit 35 years.