National Insurance Credits: Retrospective Child Benefit Claim

JoeyB4352

Looking for some help on retrospectively claiming child benefit national insurance credits: I did not claim child benefit for the 5/6 years while staying at home to look after my children. This was on the understanding that I was not eligible as my husband earned over the threshold amount. I now realise this meant I did not receive NI pension credits that I was eligible for, and I have gaps in my NI pension credit record. The tax simplification update indicates that I may be able to apply for the missing NI credits from April 2026, including back to 2013. With the 5 April 2025 deadline approaching for buying back NI credit years, I'm unsure whether to pay for a few years now or whether to gamble for the hope of a retrospective claim back option in April 2026. Can anyone confirm the claimback process or have any update? Thank you

molerat

Nothing has changed.

https://community.hmrc.gov.uk/customerforums/ni/ad237a9f-12f1-ef11-a4de-002248c7d37d

Posted 8 days ago by HMRC Admin 19 Response

Hi,
The April 2025 deadline for backdated payment of voluntary contributions is a definite, while the proposed legislation regarding awarding credits to parents who did not claim Child Benefit is still yet to be brought forward so we do not know the scope of how it will work.  If you wait beyond April 2025 and do not get credit under the new system then you would only be allowed to go back 6 years to pay voluntary contributions. 
Currently when Home Responsibilities Protection credits are awarded after voluntary contributions have been paid, then the customer can request the refund, however, again we do not know how the new legislation will be drafted and what scope it will have in this regard.
Thank you.
 

The big question is do you actually need those gaps ?  That will have a bearing on what is the best way forward.

JoeyB4352

Thank you for the update & really helpful link. Yes, I will need those years for a full pension and so I will just have to decide whether to hedge my bets and buy them before 5 April 2025 or wait & hope for good news in April 2026!