NI Voluntary Contributions - help please!

Mrs_Doe

I had twins in 2006 and for various reasons quit my job to look after the children. My husband was on a good wage.  I registered for Child Benefit in order to get my NI credits but opted out of receiving any payment to save my husband having to pay it back through his taxes. I understood that I would receive credits until the children hit 16.  I recently checked my NI contributions and realise that I only received credits up until the children were 12, meaning I am 3 years short for receiving a full pension.  I plan to work again, but only part time, so I think I have to find the money to pay for the missing 3 years.  A friend has told me that, actually, I am still entitled to the credits up to the age of 16, but I have to claim for them.  I've spent an age trying to find out if this is the case, but can't see it.  Are they right?

molerat

From 2010 credits are only awarded up to age 12.

Dazed_and_C0nfused

Mrs_Doe said:

I had twins in 2006 and for various reasons quit my job to look after the children. My husband was on a good wage.  I registered for Child Benefit in order to get my NI credits but opted out of receiving any payment to save my husband having to pay it back through his taxes. I understood that I would receive credits until the children hit 16.  I recently checked my NI contributions and realise that I only received credits up until the children were 12, meaning I am 3 years short for receiving a full pension.  I plan to work again, but only part time, so I think I have to find the money to pay for the missing 3 years.  A friend has told me that, actually, I am still entitled to the credits up to the age of 16, but I have to claim for them.  I've spent an age trying to find out if this is the case, but can't see it.  Are they right?

Working part time doesn't necessarily prevent you building up additional qualifying years.

Will you be earning at least £123/week?

p00hsticks

Mrs_Doe said:

 I recently checked my NI contributions and realise that I only received credits up until the children were 12, meaning I am 3 years short for receiving a full pension.

You checked your NI contributions - have you also checked your State Pension forecast ?
Check your State Pension forecast - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
You don't necessarily have to have every year full to qualify for a full pension, and as Dazed_amd_Confused points out above, if you plan to work part time going forward, then if you are going to be earning at least £123 a week then you will get credits going forward. 
Don't assume that just because you have a gap of three years it is necessarily beneficial to fill it .......