18 January 2007
Dawn Primarolo, the Paymaster General, has announced that the
Government will refund excess voluntary National Insurance
contributions paid since they announced changes to the basic state
pension eligibility conditions.
She said "where individuals have continued to make voluntary
National Insurance contributions since 25 May 2006, but would have
chosen not to do so had they been aware of the Government's
intention to reduce the number of qualifying years required for a
fuill basic state pension, they may be entitled to a refund."
HMRC is currently working on the system for administering
refunds.
The Government recently announced in the Pensions Bill that the
number of qualifying years required to obtain the full basic state
pension would be reduced to 30 for both men and women. This is
likley to be in force for those reaching state pension age on or
after 6 april 2010.
Further information about the
Pensions Bill can be found here.
