State Pensions Credits
If some circumstances you are credited as having paid National Insurance (NI) contributions event though contributions were not actually made. For example, if you are in receipt of certain state benefits.
The following are circumstances where a NI credit may been made:
- You are incapable of work because of illness or disability.
- You are receiving Carer's Allowance.
- You are getting Working Tax Credit.
- You are getting Statutory Maternity Pay
- You are getting Statutory Adoption Pay.
- You are unemployed and available for, and actively seeking work.
- You are doing Jury Service.
- You have served a prison sentence for a conviction, which was subsequently quashed.
Furthermore, since the tax year 1983/84 men with no liability to play Class 1 or 2 contributions, are credited automatically for the tax year they reach 60 and the four following years.
These Auto-Credits will be phased out between April 2010 and April 2015 in accordance with the following table.
| Date of Birth | Auto-Credit Entitlement |
| On or before 5 October 1950 | 5 years |
| 6 October 1950 to 5 October 1951 | 4 years |
| 6 October 1951 to 5 October 1952 | 3 years |
| 6 October 1952 to 5 October 1953 | 2 years |
| 6 October 1953 to 5 October 1954 | 1 year |
| On and after 6 October 1954 | Nil |
Young people, with no liability to pay Class 1 or 2 contributions, can also claim credits for the tax year in which they reach 16 and the two following years.
You will also be credited with paying NI contributions if you are working and earning between £90 and £105 a week (in the 2008/09 tax year) from a single employer.
Q & As
- How do I claim a credit?
If you are in receipt of the following state benefits, credits should be given automatically:
- Invalid Care Allowance
- Disability Working Allowance
- Jobseekers' Allowance
- Incapacity Benefit
- Severe Disablement Allowance
- Approved Training
- Family Credit.
You can also check your NI record by ringing the National Insurance Contributions Office on 0845 9155996.
- Do I get a credit if I was covered by Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP)?
HRP works by reducing the number of qualifying years you need towards the calculation of the Basic State Pension. From April 2002, if you qualify for Home Responsibilities Protection, entitlement for the State Second Pension, will be calculated as if you had earnings at the Low Earnings Threshold even if you do not work or earn less than the annual Lower Earnings Limit
See our section on Home Responsibilities Protection.
- I do not qualify for a state pension, can I claim on my husband's pension?
Yes. A married woman who has reached state pension age and has an incomplete record can claim a category B state pension based on her husband's NI contribution record, however, she has to wait until he has reached 65 and starts to draw his pension. The maximum pension that she can get on this basis is approximately 60% of her husband's basic pension
A married man who has reached his state pension age will be able to claim a category B State Pension based on his wife's NI record provided she reaches state pension age on or after 6 April 2010. He wife will have needed to claim her own state pension.
