NI credits for years I wasn't working or claiming benefits

TadleyBaggie

Background: I retired from work in 2015 when I was 62. I immediately put a DB pension into payment and also started drawing down from a SIPP. In June 2018 I started receiving my State Pension, which was in excess of whatever the full payment was at the time. All good.

Yesterday I was poking around in my Personal Tax account (making sure I was going to be under the HRT limit for 24/25). I took a look at my NI conribution record. As expected it was completely full up to 15/16 due to NI paid due to employment. However noticed that 16/17 and 17/18 were also marked as full even though my only income was from my own pensions. Both years said:

You have contributions from
National Insurance credits: 52 weeks
These may have been added to your record if you were ill/disabled, unemployed, caring for someone full-time or on jury service.

None of which is the case. I was technically unemployed but didn't claim JSA or any other benefits..

So just curious as to how I might have got these two (unneeded) years?

Sarahspangles

TadleyBaggie said:

Background: I retired from work in 2015 when I was 62. I immediately put a DB pension into payment and also started drawing down from a SIPP. In June 2018 I started receiving my State Pension, which was in excess of whatever the full payment was at the time. All good.

Yesterday I was poking around in my Personal Tax account (making sure I was going to be under the HRT limit for 24/25). I took a look at my NI conribution record. As expected it was completely full up to 15/16 due to NI paid due to employment. However noticed that 16/17 and 17/18 were also marked as full even though my only income was from my own pensions. Both years said:

You have contributions from
National Insurance credits: 52 weeks
These may have been added to your record if you were ill/disabled, unemployed, caring for someone full-time or on jury service.

None of which is the case. I was technically unemployed but didn't claim JSA or any other benefits..

So just curious as to how I might have got these two (unneeded) years?

Weirdly this hardly ever comes up on this board, but I know someone who qualified for this. Would this also apply to you?

https://www.gov.uk/automatic-pension-credits-for-men

TadleyBaggie

You nailed it, born in June 1953. I've never seen that mentioned anywhere before. Thanks for clearing that up.

Silvertabby

You're a similar age to Mr S, who retired at 60 and also received 2 years of NI credits.  In his case, having been contracted out for most of his working life, these credits added over £10 per week to his State pension.

You, like him, wouldn't have been eligible for means tested pension credit - but if you had never heard of this scheme then I'm guessing that you didn't know that you were also eligible for non means tested (then!) winter fuel allowance and bus pass?

Just to clarify - the date you qualified (aged 63 and possibly some months) was the date a woman born on the same day as you reached State pension age.  Full State pension for her, Pension Credit age for you.  This ended in November 2018, when State pension ages for men and women were re-equalised at 65.

TadleyBaggie

Silvertabby said:

You, like him, wouldn't have been eligible for means tested pension credit - but if you had never heard of this scheme then I'm guessing that you didn't know that you were also eligible for non means tested (then!) winter fuel allowance and bus pass?

Used to get the WFA, no longer however... I got my free bus pass well before my 65th due to the transitional rules.