NI contributions confusion

chanaaf

Hi all,
I'm hoping one of you SO SO bright people will be able to help me with this one...

I used to claim Income Support with the Disability Premium due to some health issues, but now do not claim anything as my partner is in full-time employment. My partners salary is our only income.

I got a letter from the Benefits Agency asking me to fill out a HUGE form to re-assess my ability to work in relation to benefits I am receiving. Confused, I phoned them and was told that they are currently paying my NI contributions and for this to continues, I would have to be re-assessed hence the form. They also say I may need to be checked by their own doctors.

This isn't something I've heard of before. Friends of mine who are married/civil partnered have never had any such correspondence and quite frankly have no idea who pays their NI contributions. They do suggest, however, that my partners NI payments should be covering me?? We entered a CP over a year ago and my Other Half is in the Police.

To be honest, I don't want to have to be inspected/assessed whenever the BA takes a fancy and would rather pay my own NI if I had to.

Any help/advice would be hugely appreciated.

Many thanks in advance guys.

Chanaaf.

stazi

You were claiming both IS and Incapacity Benefit (IB). However, when you first claimed, you didin't get IB because your NI contributions didin't qualify, so you got IS- IS is a means tested benefit.

Although your IS claim has ended, your IB claim has not, and you are still getting NI credits awarded. Your NI record is yours and there is no link to your partner's NI record- theirs is theirs, your is yours.

The form you have recieved is a form IB50- the purpose of which is to gather information from you about your incapacity. If you fail to return the IB50, your claim will normally be disallowed. However, if you suffer from a mental health incapacity, your claim will continue, and you would be sent for an examination.

If you no longer wish to have your NI record protected, and wish to end your IB claim, I suggest you just return the uncompleted IB50 with a letter saying you wish to end your IB claim.

chanaaf

stazi wrote: »

You were claiming both IS and Incapacity Benefit (IB). However, when you first claimed, you didin't get IB because your NI contributions didin't qualify, so you got IS- IS is a means tested benefit.

Although your IS claim has ended, your IB claim has not, and you are still getting NI credits awarded. Your NI record is yours and there is no link to your partner's NI record- theirs is theirs, your is yours.

The form you have recieved is a form IB50- the purpose of which is to gather information from you about your incapacity. If you fail to return the IB50, your claim will normally be disallowed. However, if you suffer from a mental health incapacity, your claim will continue, and you would be sent for an examination.

If you no longer wish to have your NI record protected, and wish to end your IB claim, I suggest you just return the uncompleted IB50 with a letter saying you wish to end your IB claim.

Thanks for such a quick reply stazi.

So what would it mean if I ended my IB claim? No pension at retirement?

Thanks :-)

seven-day-weekend

You can end your claim and pay voluntary contributions yourself (around £8 a week) if that's what you want to do. These will count towards your State Pension.

chanaaf

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

You can end your claim and pay voluntary contributions yourself (around £8 a week) if that's what you want to do. These will count towards your State Pension.

So, just to clarify, if I ended my claim and didn't pay anything, I would get nothing at 65? But if I pay the £8pw I would get a full state pension?

If that's the case, I wonder how many housewives/husbands have no idea they'll get nothing in retirement if they've no private one in place. Scary thought.

Thanks once again

seven-day-weekend

If you pay voluntary contributions for enough years, you will receive a full State Pension at your retirement date.

If you pay nothing, at state retirement age you will be able to claim 60% of your husband's pension based on his contributions, but only when he becomes 65.

Non-working people can also be covered if they are in receipt of child benefit or carer's allowance, which gives Home Responsibilities Protection by (under the present rules) bringing down the amount of years you have to pay to qualify for a full State Pension. Under the new rules from April 2010 each year they are in receipt of these benefits will be creidted to them the same way as it works on other benefits now.

Someone whose retirement date is after 6th April 2010 needs 30 years of paid/credited contributions to qualify for a full State Pension.

chanaaf

So that would be 60% PLUS what he will get?

seven-day-weekend

Yes he will get 100% and you will get 60%.

But if you pay your contributions you can have 100% and he can have 100%.

Got to be better, yes?

terryw

It would also be a good idea to ask for a retirement pension forecast. As stated by 7dayweekend, there has been a recent change and you only need thirty years contributions or credits to qualify for a full retirement pension. Depending on your age and past contribution record you may have this already and the payment of voluntary contributions might be needless.

chanaaf

Thanks so much for the info guys. Much appreciated. :-)

I think I'll just set up a direct debit and pay it myself. 100% is definately better. I'll write to them.

Cheers! :T

seven-day-weekend

A wise choice Chanaaf!