Home Responsibilities Protection

Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP) was introduced from 6 April 1978 to protect the basic state pension. From 6 April 2002, HRP can in some circumstances enable extra pension to be provided via the State Second Pension.

Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP) works by reducing the number of qualifying years that you require in order to qualify for the full basic state pension. However HRP cannot reduce the number of qualifying years below 20.

NB. If the number of qualifying years needed to qualify for the full basic state pension has been reduced to 20 years, only 5 years are needed to qualify for the minimum basic state pension.

From April 2002, if you qualify for Home Responsibilities Protection in certain circumstances, entitlement for the State Second Pension, will be calculated as if you had earnings at the Low Earnings Threshold (£13,900 - 2009/10) even if you do not work or earn less than the annual Lower Earnings Limit.

You will qualify for help towards the Additional State Pension if: -

• you receive child benefit for a child under age 6 years
• you are entitled to Carer's Allowance or
• you are getting HRP because you are caring for an ill or disabled person

You should be covered automatically if you are in receipt of Child Benefit for a child under 16 years throughout a tax year (6 years for help towards the additional state pension) or Income Support and it has been agreed that you are substantially engaged in caring for a sick or disabled person.

If you are caring for someone who receives Attendance Allowance, Disability Living Allowance (at the middle or highest rate for personal care) or Constant Attendance Allowance, you should apply for Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP). You may also apply for HRP if you are a registered foster carer and not in receipt of Child Benefit and not in paid work, or do not earn enough in a tax year to count towards the Basic State Pension.

If you are eligible for Home Responsibilities Protection by virtue of caring for someone in receipt of Attendance Allowance, Disability Living Allowance (at the middle or highest rate for personal care) or Constant Attendance Allowance, you will need to apply for HRP. The same applies to a foster carer who is not in receipt of Child Benefit and not in paid work, or not earning enough in a tax year to count towards the Basic State Pension.

To apply for HRP you should contact the your local Jobcentre Plus office and ask for leaflet - How to protect your State Pension if you are looking after someone at home (CF411).  you can also get this online from the HMRC website.

If you are a foster carer, you will need to show that you have been a registered foster carer throughout the tax year. To do so you will need a letter of confirmation from your local authority or agency you work for.

Yes, if the amount of your earnings or credits in a tax year is less than the level needed to make a year a qualifying year.

If you are getting the following benefits or payments, you can be credited with earnings and so will not need Home Responsibilities Protection.

• Carer's Allowance
• Working Tax Credit
• Jobseeker's Allowance
• Incapacity Benefit
• Maternity Allowance
• Unemployability Supplement
• Severe Disablement Allowance
• Employment and Support Allowance

HRP has been available since April 1978. If you are claiming for years you have spent caring for someone with a long term illness or disability between April 1978 and 5 April 2002, you can claim at any time up to State Pension Age.

Since April 2002, you must claim HRP within 3 years of the end of the tax year you spent caring for someone with a long term illness or disability.

Married women and widows cannot get HRP for any tax year in which they were liable to pay reduced rate NI contributions when working. If however, they no longer have a reduced contribution liability, then they can get HRP.  Your reduced rate election will have lapsed automatically if you have not earned enough to pay or be treated as paying National Insurance contributions throughout two consecutive tax years and have not been self-employed.

Yes. Since 6 April 2003, HRP has been available to registered foster carers who do not receive child benefit.

Yes. HRP also protects Bereavement Benefits for your husband, wife or civil partner.

HMRC should be able to clarify if you call 0845 915 8224.

To change the payee for Child Benefit you should ring the Child Benefit Centre on 0845 202 1444.

New legislation has been introduced that allows transfers of HRP in certain situations. You need to reach State Pension Age (SPA) on or after the 6 April 2008 and fulfil a few other conditions as well. To switch the entitlement you need to obtain and complete the CF411 form issued by the National Insurance Contributions Office. You can find this form here, along with a notes sheet detailing the qualifying conditions you need to meet.