45 years paying NI, but not getting full pension?

Alasco

QrizB
Thank you for that great explanation - it all makes a bit of sense to me now as to how this has happened.  

Silvertabby
Thanks for the reply - I won't pretend I can remember what my contracted "Serps" situation at the time was - in, out, shake it all about.... I just got on with my work and did whatever most of my workmates did at the time! 

p00hsticks
Thank you - I think that just about settles it for me now - I was just a bit too old, too soon!! 


Just want to say Thank You to everyone who replied and got my question answered in full, in just a few hours, on the same evening! What a great forum.  
   

squirrelpie

"Why do you think that 35 years is of any relevance to you? 

It seems to be the figure every article I read mentions! "

I agree. Almost all the articles I read make this oversimplification. Sometimes there's a half-hearted qualification after it, and if you already know what you're looking for then you can see they've covered their a***. But sometimes they don't even do that. Gah!

Cobbler_tone

Anyone familiar with this forum will be bored with posters saying "It is not 35 years blah blah" but seems the penny hasn't dropped with those who aren't. 
Maybe time for ML to change his line to "Check on gov.uk" because it might encourage everyone to register and see all manner of information.

Silvertabby

Cobbler_tone said:

Anyone familiar with this forum will be bored with posters saying "It is not 35 years blah blah" but seems the penny hasn't dropped with those who aren't. 
Maybe time for ML to change his line to "Check on gov.uk" because it might encourage everyone to register and see all manner of information.

ML repeatedly saying "35 years ISH" on his pensions shows certainly didn't help.  

But I suppose that saying the more accurate "you will need anything between 26 years and 50 years of NI contributions in order to qualify for the full new State pension" could have caused even more confusion.  

[Deleted User]

Silvertabby said:

Were you ‘contracted out’ from April 1988?
Not as far as I can remember - but the NI records show "Full Year" so I presume not. 

Contracting out started in 1978.

When your NI records say 'Full Year' they actually mean 'Full Financial Year' and don't differentiate between NI paid at full rate (contracted in to SERPS/SP2) or reduced rate (contracted out of SERPS/SP2).

Yep - a mistype! My apologies!

TheSpectator

OP - have you accrued any type of Defined Benefit pension pre 2016? If so, chances are you have been contracted out at some point.