no N I Contributions help needed

jaima

Hi all first post,
My partner and i have an 11 yr old daughter, we decided when our daughter was born that with working tax credits my partner could earn more than i could for less than half the hours, i then became a "househusband" looking after our daughter.
Some years later i became disabilitated due to arthritist, i was informed by the incapacity benefits office to hand in sickness certificates from my doctor (which i did) i was then told that as i have not worked for so long that i do not have any N.I. contributions and therefore not entitled to any benefits,
As i was the one raising our daughter while my partner worked (working tax credits) it seems that i have been punished for looking after our daughter when i cannot claim either sickness or incapacity benefits in my ill health, i do receive Disabled Living Allowance which is not means tested, the N.I. website does state that there are circumstance under which certain people cannot work and are therefore entitled to paid N.I credits surely all housewives/househusband must come under "certain circumstances" when they cannot work due to raising their families ? i did phone the N.I and asked but got nowhere with them.
Any advice greatfully received.
jim.

dmg24

The information that you have been given is correct. You will have received NI credits towards your govt pension, but not towards benefits.

If you were single, you would be entitled to IS rather than IB. However, due to your partner working, you will have too high an income to qualify for IS.

Elle00

jaima wrote: »

Hi all first post,
My partner and i have an 11 yr old daughter, we decided when our daughter was born that with working tax credits my partner could earn more than i could for less than half the hours, i then became a "househusband" looking after our daughter.
Some years later i became disabilitated due to arthritist, i was informed by the incapacity benefits office to hand in sickness certificates from my doctor (which i did) i was then told that as i have not worked for so long that i do not have any N.I. contributions and therefore not entitled to any benefits,
As i was the one raising our daughter while my partner worked (working tax credits) it seems that i have been punished for looking after our daughter when i cannot claim either sickness or incapacity benefits in my ill health, i do receive Disabled Living Allowance which is not means tested, the N.I. website does state that there are circumstance under which certain people cannot work and are therefore entitled to paid N.I credits surely all housewives/househusband must come under "certain circumstances" when they cannot work due to raising their families ? i did phone the N.I and asked but got nowhere with them.
Any advice greatfully received.
jim.

Never mind, see above!

jaima

such an unfair system when my partner would recieve the same amount of money for her and our daughter only but has to keep me also and i cannot claim any benefit due to health matters, it is no wonder that people become benefit cheats for when your honest you get nothing

Elle00

jaima wrote: »

such an unfair system when my partner would recieve the same amount of money for her and our daughter only but has to keep me also and i cannot claim any benefit due to health matters, it is no wonder that people become benefit cheats for when your honest you get nothing

Welcome to a woman's world.

Your partner doesn't have to keep you, and if she didn't want to anymore; she could just dump you. That's why most people are on Income Support - because they're parents or sick people who've been abandoned by their partners or families. At least you've got a family. And you do get DLA you already said so you're not getting nothing.

If you feel strongly about this then perhaps you should consider raising the matter with your MP? A considerable amount of parents, particularly women, will have been in this same situation. Perhaps it would be fairer if NI contributions were considered jointly within a couple so stay-at-home-parents didn't have this problem?

Either way, the system won't change unless you try to change it.

DaisyFlower

You havent lost any income though as you were not working, so you haven't been "punished" as you say. You are no worse off now than before.

System

Have you told TCO that you are receiving DLA - you might be entitled to extra tax credits depending on what level of DLA you receive.

calleyw

Pam17 wrote: »

Have you told TCO that you are receiving DLA - you might be entitled to extra tax credits depending on what level of DLA you receive.

I thought that was only if you worked 16 hours a week and where not claiming IB.


Yours


Calley