MSE NEWS: At or near State Pension age? Check NOW if you’re due missing Child Benefit credits

MSE_Isabelle

Higher earners across the UK who missed out on National Insurance (NI) credits because they didn't claim Child Benefit will now have to wait an extra year to more easily fill gaps in their NI record. The delay won't affect most people, but if you're at, or very close to, State Pension age, you can act now by complaining to HMRC.

Read the full story here:

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2026/04/missing-national-insurance-child-benefit-delayed/

Mistaken2302

Hello

I have a quick question about the children benefit credits. My daughter was born in 2001 so I would qualify on that part.

Its not actually 2001 I am asking about. When my daughter was going to start school in 2005, as a single parent my daughter was becoming very clingy as a few incidents happened which really affected her. Also during school holidays especially the summer holidays, I had nobody to look after her whilst I worked part time and the school's holiday club only opened for part of the longer holidays for example 3 out the 6 weeks holidays.

I made the decision to stop work so I was around for the school run and and school holidays for the first 3 years. Instead of working I went back into full-time education at a local university to retrain for a profession I had wanted to go into for a few years.

I was claiming child benefit but I wasn't working outside of this.

Would I be able to claim or try to claim these 3 years back into my pension account.

Many thanks

molerat

If you were claiming child benefit then you are entitled to the credits. Have you actually checked your NI record - the vast majority were automatically credited.

sheramber

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81973444#Comment_81973444

credits started in 2010.

For 2005-2008 it was home responsibility which for those retiring after 2010 will be added as credits.

You can check your NI record to confirm that you have full credits for those years.