Missing NI Contributions for Pension Qualifying Years

flowergirlgreen

Following Martin's advice we checked my husband’s qualifying years and he is short on 3 years that we can pay to make up and registered for a call back before the deadline (Apr 2025).  The call back was due to my husband having limited capacity for work due to ill health. He was able to claim contribution-based ESA which then stopped in Nov 2021. I work full time so no further benefits will be made. He has 3 letters from Jobcentreplus dated Sept 2021, October 2021 and Nov 2021 all stating the same that while ESA will stop and I quote “we will continue to credit you with National Insurance contributions. These credits can help you to qualify for benefits in the future, including state pension.”

On 19 Sept 2025 he finally had a call back and was told no NI contributions were on his pension record since Nov 2021. It was suggested he call Jobcentre plus to discuss this and has done so at least 3 times and each time being told he is flagged on the system for contributions still being made and no idea why not showing on his pension. He was then told yesterday that the matter would be passed to HMRC and they would see why the contributions are not on his pension record. He received that call today (from HRMC) to be told if he was not getting ESA and no NI contributions would be paid even though we have the 3 letters stating the opposite. None of these 3 departments will talk to each other and he is being left to chase, is not getting anywhere and one will take ownership to resolve this.

The pensions people have given a deadline of 19 Oct 2025 (Sunday?) to decide if to pay or not and that is 10 days away to the nearest working day.

The 3 years that are partially paid / missing go back to 2015-2016, 2020-2021 and then 2021-2022. He will lose the partial payment for 2016 if we do not get a decision by the deadline (as over the 6 year period to pay).

He is 4.5 years away from retirement and will never be able to work again so it cannot be made up in the future.

How do we get these departments talking to each other?

How do we get the contributions honored that were stated in the letters?

Is there anything else I have missed or need to consider?

p00hsticks

What does his state Pension forecast say ?
Are you sure that the 2015-16 one in particular will actually increase his State Pension amount - just because it's available to buy / fill  doesn't necessarily mean it will boost the amount . 

flowergirlgreen

Have checked the forecast & yes 2015-2016 will count & also confirmed when talking to pension helpline. The issue is why are the NI contributions not being paid as written and why do these departments not sort it out.

DRS1

Is he actually eligible for NI credits?  That is not receiving ESA but satisfies the conditions for it (see link below)
National Insurance credits: Eligibility - GOV.UK

Maybe he could have a look at the Apply Now bit?  Or maybe that would only confuse things further.

DRS1

There is also stuff on here about checking and challenging his contribution record

National Insurance credits: Overview - GOV.UK

molerat

There is a big historical problem with DWP awarding credits.  It is outside of the remit of HMRC to tell you that DWP would not be awarding credits.  Your problem is the time left to get it sorted, you should really have been on top of this way before the original April 2023 deadline and getting your MP involved when it wasn't sorted.  Your MP or someone like Steve Webb or the newspaper specialist columns is likely your only way forward.