National Insurance Pension credits from the DWP / Job Centre ?

Bluebay

Hi folks, I am hoping someone can advise if you CAN actually receive National Insurance credits from the Job Centre, as I have been advised (see below ) but with no success so far.

I stopped working in 2018 due to medical reasons and receive the basic Personal Independent Payment( PIP ). I do not receive any other benefits. Therefore my NI contributions stopped from 2019-2020.
I read you could claim NI credits ONLY from the DWP / Job Centre if you are listed for a certain benefit ( cannot remember which) but you don`t actually receive any money, just NI pension credits.

Sometime back I telephoned the pension Department and the person confirmed this was actually correct , but it could only be done through my local Job Centre. I contacted the local Job Centre and was told they know nothing of this.
 I called back the pension Dept and once again was informed the information was correct and NI credits can be given. Once again, local Job Centre stated they were unaware of this and so I cannot proceed any further.
If anyone knows if what I have read and also being told from the Pension Dept IS actually correct or NOT, if not why would they state otherwise, and IF correct, how should I proceed with the local Job Centre.
Thanks in advance

Dazed_and_C0nfused

Bluebay said:

Hi folks, I am hoping someone can advise if you CAN actually receive National Insurance credits from the Job Centre, as I have been advised (see below ) but with no success so far.

I stopped working in 2018 due to medical reasons and receive the basic Personal Independent Payment( PIP ). I do not receive any other benefits. Therefore my NI contributions stopped from 2019-2020.
I read you could claim NI credits ONLY from the DWP / Job Centre if you are listed for a certain benefit ( cannot remember which) but you don`t actually receive any money, just NI pension credits.

Sometime back I telephoned the pension Department and the person confirmed this was actually correct , but it could only be done through my local Job Centre. I contacted the local Job Centre and was told they know nothing of this.
 I called back the pension Dept and once again was informed the information was correct and NI credits can be given. Once again, local Job Centre stated they were unaware of this and so I cannot proceed any further.
If anyone knows if what I have read and also being told from the Pension Dept IS actually correct or NOT, if not why would they state otherwise, and IF correct, how should I proceed with the local Job Centre.
Thanks in advance

I suspect you are totally confusing the local job centre.

You probably can't just "be given" NI credits.

But if you apply and qualify for the appropriate  benefit then you will automatically be credited with NI credits.

You might get more help posting on the benefits board but if you have posted it here as it's relevant to your State Pension then have you actually checked your State Pension forecast (in detail) on gov.uk so you know exactly where you stand with regard it that?

WillowCat

You need to apply for New Style Jobseekers allowance (if you are searching for work) or New Style Employment and support allowance (if you are too unwell to work).  Assuming you do not have the relevant NI contributions to receive the cash from either of these, once you have been rejected for the cash part, you should continue to have entitlement to the NI credits.  You do need to still jump through the other hoops of entitlement -i.e. work search for NS JSA and the work capability assessment for NS ESA.

Scrounger

Hi, you need to complete a JSANC1 form (available from jobcentres) for the free NI credits.

There is an old version of JSANC1 here:

http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/jsa_nc1_ni_credits_only_form/response/1345934/attach/3/JSANC1.pdf?cookie_passthrough=1


Scrounger

Bluebay

Hi All,

Thanks for your comments, My question was primarily about the State Pension.  I am 4 years short of NI contributions for a full state pension according to the forecast, I will not be working again due to my medical condition. 

 When I had to stop work in 2018 I was informed I was not entitled to any benefits due to spouses earnings and a bit of savings,  my circumstances have not changed since. 
I was informed from the Pension Service as I stated in my initial post, that if I applied for a particular benefit ( cannot remember the name ) I think it had something like NON Job Seeker in the title but I didn`t actually receive any benefit,  I would still get the NI credits only.

Scrounger is this what you are referring to with the JSANC1.

All I am trying to find out is, can I get the 4 years of credits as the Pension service advised or is this not the case.
Thanks again

QrizB

Does this web page help?

https://www.gov.uk/national-insurance-credits/eligibility

Reading it, it sounds as though you might've been able to apply for ESA in 2018 (assuming it existed then).

p00hsticks

Bluebay said:

 
I was informed from the Pension Service as I stated in my initial post, that if I applied for a particular benefit ( cannot remember the name ) I think it had something like NON Job Seeker in the title but I didn`t actually receive any benefit,  I would still get the NI credits only.

I suspect that they said New Job Seekers Allowance - that isn't means tested and does come with NI Credits, although only for six months.  
The problem you have is that to qualify for it you need to have paid sufficient Class 1 NI in the last few tax years, so why you may have been eligible for it when you first stopped working, you wouldn't now. And you would have to have been actively seeking work, which it sounds as if you weren't.  

The other non-means tested alternative if you were too sick to work would be new style ESA - again you need sufficient recent NI contributions to qualify for it, so won't qualify now. 

If you can prove that in 2018 that you asked and were erroneously informed by someone in DWP that you weren't entitled to any benefits when you could have claimed new style JSA or ESA then you might have a case. 

Scrounger

Bluebay said:

Hi All,

My question was primarily about the State Pension.  I am 4 years short of NI contributions for a full state pension according to the forecast, I will not be working again due to my medical condition. 

 When I had to stop work in 2018 I was informed I was not entitled to any benefits due to spouses earnings and a bit of savings,  my circumstances have not changed since. 
I was informed from the Pension Service as I stated in my initial post, that if I applied for a particular benefit ( cannot remember the name ) I think it had something like NON Job Seeker in the title but I didn`t actually receive any benefit,  I would still get the NI credits only.

Scrounger is this what you are referring to with the JSANC1.

All I am trying to find out is, can I get the 4 years of credits as the Pension service advised or is this not the case.
Thanks again

Yes, that's the idea - commonly known as a 'NI credits only' claim usually for an improved state pension.

Your medical condition may be an alternative means of obtaining benefits and/or NI credits depending on severity etc.

As mentioned above, your lack of recent NI contributions may sadly invalidate your claim.


Scrounger

xylophone

See

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/77281269/#Comment_77281269

Bluebay

Hi All,

Thanks again to everyone for your comments and advice, I will contact the local Job Centre Plus to see how the ground lies using the information all of you have provided. Proving that I had asked twice previously for NI credits may prove difficult, However, I did come across the time and date 28/02/2020  when I last made contact  with the Job Centre and requested the NI credits to be told once again they were not aware of this.

 Xylophone, your comment with the link to the person on another MSE post looks very similar to my situation.

Thanks again everyone