Scared about lack of pension contributions. Is there anything I can do?

It's quite a useful thread though ?

However, the OP does keep rejecting advice!

I'm not sure this thread needs to be active anymore

Not everyone does - it's not unusual for people not to pay in - particularly married women

I think most people are more aware now and there is a wealth of information available on the internet.

Married women were persuaded to opt for the Married Women's Stamp years ago and were assured they would still receive a pension based on their husband's contributions.
Naïve? Perhaps, but it was reputable organisations which gave out this information, together with the paperwork ready for women to sign. I worked for the NHS; they did this.
It was misselling.
Presumably the employers saved by not having to pay a stamp for those employees as well.

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What I don’t understand is why some posters are so quick to pounce on others who simply offered practical advice on OP’s issues.
1) afraid of being homeless
No.once you are on the deeds of the house you will inherit it
2) afraid of being destitute
No, you have 15 years to address the issue of NI contributions and to “buy back years” (do you have life insurance to cover any outstanding mortgage?)
3) job earns less than the NI threshold and is/was temping or part time
Well, you have a choice, forgo the NI and lose out later or look for a better paid job
4) I like where I am
Well you have to weigh that up against financial considerations
5) not too well off on a monthly basis
As above 3) and 4) if your joint income is less than you feel comfortable with, perhaps another reason for a job which pays more so that you can contribute more meaningfully to the family income
6) expecting a windfall from an inheritance
Now would appear to be the time to invest that for your future-by buying back those extra years, for instance
Practical options to OP’s admission of fear of the future.

I had noticed, yes .

I am not naive when it comes to trolls, but in this case I don't see what is to be gained - nobody is being targeted, and whilst the situation described may be unusual, it is not outrageously so. Maybe it is a troll thread, but it doesn't scream that to me.

Who has been starting threads in disguise? Feel free to PM if you don't want to say on the thread?

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My own comment related to an example, not to OP.

IME it's not uncommon for women not to know their pension situation - maybe men too, but it was women I came across on the Back To 60 webpages. Some of the stories are heartbreaking.

It's easy for those who have had professional jobs or who keep abreast of the news and current affairs to assume that everyone else does likewise, but many people just don't. A significant number of women gave up jobs at 60, expecting to get a pension, and were then unable to get back into work when they realised their mistake.

I was aware that the pension age had risen, but genuinely have no idea of how I found out. I do know that I wasn't informed about the changes - I sent in a FOI request for all information held on me, and they did not send a letter to inform me of either change in the SPA.

I did read the financial pages in the days when we got newspapers, and I have always listened to programmes like Moneybox, so maybe I picked it up from there, but not everyone does, and it seems to me strange that anyone would assume just because they do things in a particular way that everyone else is stupid or ill-informed for not doing likewise.

I admit that it seems a bit odd not to look into all the ramifications before retiring - I knew to the penny what I would get and when -, but if someone has assumed that what they were told would happen would be honoured, and they'd seen their mothers and older sisters get a pension at 60, it's not stupid or incompetent that they'd believe it themselves, really.

Anyway, the OP hasn't said that she didn't know the SPA had risen - just that she hadn't attached importance to paying contributions. Not everyone does - it's not unusual for people not to pay in - particularly married women. The controversy seems to be the opinion that this is ok for some of the population to opt out, but when others do it they must be stupid.

We have had a few lately started by someone who isn’t who they say they are.

yes there are problems concerning this thread but the topic is actually a useful one as there are women who had buried their heads in the sand re their nat insurance contributions, as though there is a magic money tree which will provide, no matter what

Better late than never to take control of personal finances. We all grow old and for some it is a shock and a reality check about their finances in old age

I've reported this thread.
Just so you all know I'm a "snitch.

This is what happens when people don’t read the papers Nannarose. If someone can read, there really is no excuse for not doing so.

MargotLedbetter

Germanshepherdsmum

The OP is obviously computer literate. If they are genuine (which I still doubt), all the information is readily to hand online.

I have no idea why you're so cynical. When I went to a Waspi Women meeting a few years ago I encountered a worrying number of women who were unaware of NICs and the date their state pension would kick in.

I sat next to a woman who'd assumed that because she worked part-time in a university cafeteria for years she'd be retiring at 60 on a full state pension. She handed in her notice when she turned 60 and only when nothing happened with her pension did she investigate and discover that not only would she not qualify for the full state pension but she still had several years to go before she was eligible for anything. She wasn't stupid or incompetent, she'd just assumed that everyone got a pension at 60.

I do find myself a bit torn over this.
If you assume, on no basis whatsoever that you will get a State Pension ate age 60, then what are you? Stupid and incompetent are harsh words, so would you say 'not really on the ball' / 'had difficulty understanding' / 'didn't really take any notice' ?

If I, for example, take a car out on the road without insurance, because I didn't realise you needed it, am I stupid and incompetent or what?

I do realise that some of this results from historical misunderstandings, and I completely condemn the failure of the Government to write to all Waspi Women in order to make their position clear.
I have asked some if they didn't see the leaflets and posters, or read / hear articles about it. The usual response is 'not really'.

But are we to make excuses for women because they didn't bother their little heads about their pensions?

To be clear, I am not criticising the small number of women who in order to provide for their families, felt they couldn't afford to pay in to pensions. But I do wonder what on earth women such as this were actually thinking?

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growstuff

MargotLedbetter I'm pretty sure you now need 35 years of contributions for a full state pension.

You do.

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How much basic State Pension you get depends on your National Insurance record.
The full basic State Pension is £141.85 per week.

You’re eligible for the basic State Pension if you were born before:
6 April 1951 if you’re a man
6 April 1953 if you’re a woman

However:
The full new State Pension is £185.15 per week.

30 years for the Basic State Pension according to this:
www.gov.uk/state-pension/eligibility

35 years for the New State Pension here:
www.gov.uk/new-state-pension/how-its-calculated

Is it any wonder it's difficult to state anything categorically?!

I was thinking more about doing a second job as a way of raising the £4,800 required to buy those six years. A couple of shifts in Aldi each week for a year would do it.

MargotLedbetter

Delila

You’re missing my point Callistemon. There is objective, positive advice, such as that given by MargotLedbetter, which includes the potential benefit of looking for better-paid work, but to imply criticism and blame for what some others see as poor lifestyle choices, is another matter altogether.

There's no blame but you can't expect to build a pension when working sporadically on a zero-hours contract. Fortunately the OP has realised this in the nick of time.

If the OP really doesn't want to leave her current zero-hours job she could take on extra work to top up. My nephew's doing a PhD at the moment and has all sorts of jobs on the go. Round here there are adverts for jobs in small shops everywhere. How about a few hours behind the counter in a local cafe or corner shop at weekends?

It's about getting out of your comfy rut and taking control and the OP sounds as if she's prepared to do that. I wish her luck. Waking up to the reality is never comfortable.

Yes, MargotLedbetter, that is just it.
She needs to get out of her comfort zone, it's not always easy.

I was cheering her on, she's realised that an impoverished old age is not much fun especially with bills increasing all the time.

You could buy a few Premium Bonds with some of your inheritance, BlushingSheep - you never know, you might win £1m!
Spend some, save some ?

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And her pension age will be 67, not 60.

MargotLedbetter I'm pretty sure you now need 35 years of contributions for a full state pension.

MargotLedbetter

Delila

You’re missing my point Callistemon. There is objective, positive advice, such as that given by MargotLedbetter, which includes the potential benefit of looking for better-paid work, but to imply criticism and blame for what some others see as poor lifestyle choices, is another matter altogether.

There's no blame but you can't expect to build a pension when working sporadically on a zero-hours contract. Fortunately the OP has realised this in the nick of time.

If the OP really doesn't want to leave her current zero-hours job she could take on extra work to top up. My nephew's doing a PhD at the moment and has all sorts of jobs on the go. Round here there are adverts for jobs in small shops everywhere. How about a few hours behind the counter in a local cafe or corner shop at weekends?

It's about getting out of your comfy rut and taking control and the OP sounds as if she's prepared to do that. I wish her luck. Waking up to the reality is never comfortable.

Unfortunately, having a number of part-time jobs means that no single employer would pay National Insurance. The op's pension provision would not be improved. This affects a number of people working two or three jobs to make ends meet. Unfortunately, they don't realise they're not being credited for state pension. People really should check their records on the Government Gateway site as soon as possible.

I wish her luck too. She’s still comparitively young and has time on her side.