National insurance credits

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Dawnie1610
Dawnie1610 Posts: 3 Newbie
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in Pensions, annuities & retirement planning
I have just checked my state pension for when I retire in 6 years time and it is saying that I will get more than the basic amount, when I check my National Insurance contributions by year some years I have over 52 weeks credited as well as salary bought contributions. One year I have 102 weeks credit contributions. Would this be the reason that it is over the basic pension? and why would I have over 52 weeks credited contributions in one year?
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  • molerat
    molerat Posts: 31,933 Forumite
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    edited 15 May 2018 at 9:22AM
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    Only 52 weeks will count in one year and none will be carried forward or add to your pension entitlement. Many reasons for getting more than 52 weeks including working and getting credits, often from multiple benefits, at the same time. Your extra amount of pension will be down to the additional state pension - SERPS/S2P/Grad.


    My "best" is Paid employment £308.74 plus NI credits 105 weeks ;)
  • Jack_Itin
    Jack_Itin Posts: 340 Forumite
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    I had the opposite problem.......not enough full years....I took early retirement at 62 so although I have 48 full years was 3 short.....in the last couple of weeks two "free" years have been added, but I still have one year not full.....I am waiting to see if it will make any difference to my pension.....it's a shame that they don't carry them over.......Jack.
    Retired (Early) April 2015
  • Dawnie1610
    Dawnie1610 Posts: 3 Newbie
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    I never opted out or anything like that so really do not understand why it's above basic
  • MK62
    MK62 Posts: 1,450 Forumite
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    It may be down to the level of SERPS/S2P you built up by not being contracted out.


    Basically they worked out what you'd have got under the old system [old pension + SERPS/S2P] and compared it to what you'd get under the new system [new pension - COPE], and you get the higher of the two (COPE is the deduction applied if you were contracted out for any period - if you weren't contracted out, then you won't have a COPE).

    The amount above the level of new state pension is your "protected payment".


    Personally I think they have made a bit a hash of explaining all this....but then it is a government department...:)
  • Silvertabby
    Silvertabby Posts: 9,042 Forumite
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    Jack_Itin wrote: »
    I had the opposite problem.......not enough full years....I took early retirement at 62 so although I have 48 full years was 3 short.....in the last couple of weeks two "free" years have been added, but I still have one year not full.....I am waiting to see if it will make any difference to my pension.....it's a shame that they don't carry them over.......Jack.

    Mr S is just a couple of weeks younger than you, and we still don't know if his State pension will be £147 or £151. Not really a problem - but I am NOT looking forward to explaining to him (again!) why his RAF pension will be slightly reduced from State pension age because of the NI Modification!
  • xylophone
    xylophone Posts: 44,503 Forumite
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    have just checked my state pension for when I retire in 6 years time and it is saying that I will get more than the basic amount,
    See"Jenny" page 8.

    https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/181237/single-tier-pension-fact-sheet.pdf

    - it was produced with an estimate of what the new state pension would be - at introduction on 6 4 16 it was £155.65.

    https://www.prospect.org.uk/help-at-work/pensions-retirement/state-pensions/how-much-state-pension
  • Silvertabby
    Silvertabby Posts: 9,042 Forumite
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    !!!8220; I had the opposite problem.......not enough full years....I took early retirement at 62 so although I have 48 full years was 3 short.....in the last couple of weeks two "free" years have been added, but I still have one year not full.....I am waiting to see if it will make any difference to my pension.....it's a shame that they don't carry them over.......Jack.
    Originally posted by Jack Itin
    Mr S is just a couple of weeks younger than you, and we still don't know if his State pension will be £147 or £151. Not really a problem - but I am NOT looking forward to explaining to him (again!) why his RAF pension will be slightly reduced from State pension age because of the NI Modification!
    Update as at 18 May.

    Just received a letter 'confirming' that his State pension will be £147.05 per week rather than the £151 he (we) had been expecting.

    Spoke to a very nice lady on 0800 7310469 (Option 1 - change of circumstances) and she confirmed that the 2017/2018 NI credit had only just been input to his records, ie after the confirmation letter had been generated.

    State pension confirmed as £151.74 per week. He (we) are happy with that!
  • Jack_Itin
    Jack_Itin Posts: 340 Forumite
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    edited 18 May 2018 at 11:45AM
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    That is very interesting......I also rang DWP a couple of days ago, although not sure it was the same number, and am still waiting to hear back, the lady I spoke to said she would pass my query on to the "relevant department".....so I still don't know if I am getting £147, or £152.50 per week......the Gov. UK website said on April 26th that it would be £152.50, but of course now that I am in receipt of the pension, I can no longer view the forecast......so there is still hope !!
    Retired (Early) April 2015
  • Silvertabby
    Silvertabby Posts: 9,042 Forumite
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    edited 18 May 2018 at 12:15PM
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    Jack_Itin wrote: »
    That is very interesting......I also rang DWP a couple of days ago, although not sure it was the same number, and am still waiting to hear back, the lady I spoke to said she would pass my query on to the "relevant department".....so I still don't know if I am getting £147, or £152.50 per week......the Gov. UK website said on April 26th that it would be £152.50, but of course now that I am in receipt of the pension, I can no longer view the forecast......so there is still hope !!

    The first lady we spoke to could only see £147.05, which is why she suggested that we speak to 'change of circumstances'. That lady could dip deeper into Mr S's records and was able to confirm that the 2017/2018 NI credit had only just been input (the change of circumstances?), and that his pension was £151.74. It took about 10 minutes in all, so I suppose it depends on how busy they are at the time.

    We kept screen prints of the forecast, which were £151.74.
  • Jack_Itin
    Jack_Itin Posts: 340 Forumite
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    Yes, I wish now that I had kept a screen print of the forecast...…...I wonder how they update these things ?.....my real surname begins with the letter A.....or perhaps it is done with your NI number ?.....I think another call on Monday, to the same number that you used is in order......my only concern is that the year 2015/16 is not a full year, but I am told that this should not affect the final figure.....in any case, why would the Gov.UK website give a figure of £152.50 per week, if it wasn't correct ?
    Retired (Early) April 2015
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