Claiming extra pension after paying a reduced NI stamp in the 70’s.

My son was born in October 1984 and that tax year didn't count.

Oh I am a fool 🤦
It was the tax year when he turned 16 that didn't count, ie when the child benefit and HRP ended.

TiggyW

V3ra
I also had a son in October 1984 and received a full year’s contributions.🤔

Odd. Must have been another reason for mine being incomplete that year?
He was the youngest of three and I hadn't been employed since 1981.
Anyway I had enough qualifying years and more by the time I got to 66! 🙂

V3ra
I also had a son in October 1984 and received a full year’s contributions.🤔

RillaofIngleside

Paperbackwriter

I was (stupidly) advised to opt for the married woman's reduced NI. Trouble was, that meant the home-care child-raising years somehow didn't count. Pension-wise, I'd have been better off if I'd never, ever worked.

Paperbackwriter, my friend seems to think this is the case for her too; I didn't quite understand it, and it was me that advised her to check. She doesn't understand it either. Is it the case that if you previously paid a small stamp, they assume you would carry on even if you subsequently paid a full stamp after childcare responsibilities? You are the first person I have seen with the same issue.

I had the same issue. I opted for the 'married women' stamp as I only worked around 3 hours a day. I needed to work for us to make ends meet.
My friends who did not work, and could afford to be 'stay at home' mums, had their 'full' stamp paid by the government as they were raising their children.
I was also raising my children balanced by working a few hours while they were at playgroup/school. I paid full stamp when they went to senior school and I could work longer hours.
I now get far less pension than my friends who didn't work for 7 - 10 years, which doesn't seem fair.

Skydancer

I’ve filled in the form but haven’t heard anything yet.
Why on earth doesn’t everyone just get the same amount of pension. Would make life so much easier.

Why on earth should everyone get the same pension? Some have paid in far more than others and that should be reflected in the pension paid.

Skydancer

I’ve filled in the form but haven’t heard anything yet.
Why on earth doesn’t everyone just get the same amount of pension. Would make life so much easier.

People contributed different amounts. Some people contracted out some didn't.

Well, they have to fill that flippin' "black hole" somehow!

Well, the WASPI's have drawn a big fat blank. Reeves, Starmer and co. have decided they don't have to abide by the Ombudsman's report so what's the point of an Ombudsman?

Sarnia

Paperbackwriter

I was (stupidly) advised to opt for the married woman's reduced NI. Trouble was, that meant the home-care child-raising years somehow didn't count. Pension-wise, I'd have been better off if I'd never, ever worked.

Absolutely correct. I was given the same advice and I am now in a worse position than many of my friends who were stay-at-home Mums.
I have contacted the Pension Service more than once and one lady told me that the system is so over complicated that most of the people who wok there don't fully understand it.

Well, mine counted, only from 1978, but I won't query it in case they take it all away. 😯

Were you working throughout and paying a Married Woman's stamp? I did work part-time for a while before DC3 was born, no idea what stamp I paid then but I did pay the full stamp when I went back full-time when she started school.

Paperbackwriter

I was (stupidly) advised to opt for the married woman's reduced NI. Trouble was, that meant the home-care child-raising years somehow didn't count. Pension-wise, I'd have been better off if I'd never, ever worked.

Absolutely correct. I was given the same advice and I am now in a worse position than many of my friends who were stay-at-home Mums.
I have contacted the Pension Service more than once and one lady told me that the system is so over complicated that most of the people who wok there don't fully understand it.

AnotherLiz

Paperbackwriter

I was (stupidly) advised to opt for the married woman's reduced NI. Trouble was, that meant the home-care child-raising years somehow didn't count. Pension-wise, I'd have been better off if I'd never, ever worked.

Unfortunately I did the same. And to make it worse I did request a check, approx 10 years after I retired, re how much pension I was entitled too and ended up paying money to the Government which I apparently owed!!

Why and what did you have to pay, AnotherLiz? 🤔

Paperbackwriter

I was (stupidly) advised to opt for the married woman's reduced NI. Trouble was, that meant the home-care child-raising years somehow didn't count. Pension-wise, I'd have been better off if I'd never, ever worked.

Unfortunately I did the same. And to make it worse I did request a check, approx 10 years after I retired, re how much pension I was entitled too and ended up paying money to the Government which I apparently owed!!

4allweknow

Re:claiming husband's pension allowance when widowed. If only you could. My husband of 55 years worked all his life had a good state pension. No way was I awarded this. Something like a fifth was added to mine. Have I been cheated? Also went on government site to check my own contributions in 70s stay at home for 6 years worked the rest. Full record, no entitlement to any payment.

That depends on your age, I think. If you are old enough to be on classic pension ( born before 1/4/55), I think you can claim on hubby's contributions, but the new pension does not include this.
You can check your "child rearing" contributions have been included, and any time that you have signed on. Otherwise pension credits are means tested.

I’ve filled in the form but haven’t heard anything yet.
Why on earth doesn’t everyone just get the same amount of pension. Would make life so much easier.

kjmpde

no doubt if your income is too low you would be eligible for state benefits ?

IF you are single there is a pension credit application if you have nothing else - worth a check www.gov.uk/pension-credit/eligibility

V3ra

Greciangirl

I have applied for this and am waiting for a reply.
Not sure if I qualify, but no harm in asking.

I stayed at home for five years after my daughter was born in 1981.

You only get it for full tax years.
My daughter was born at the end of April 1981 and that tax year didn't count.
My son was born in October 1984 and that tax year didn't count.
However over the course of my working life I paid enough years of contributions to now receive the full (new) state pension.
If you have a Government Gateway account you can check your contributions record and it will tell you if you can make up any missing years (or not, if they're too long ago).

Yes, I noticed that, something I hadn't realised before.

If you were in receipt of Child Benefit, which everyone who was the main carer for a child or children was entitled to, then your stamp should have been paid from 1978. Before that, there was no HRP.

PaperbackWriter
I was (stupidly) advised to opt for the married woman's reduced NI. Trouble was, that meant the home-care child-raising years somehow didn't count. Pension-wise, I'd have been better off if I'd never, ever worked.
I and others were told to opt for that stamp by our employer, presumably because they didn't have to pay as much Employer's contribution either. 'You will still receive your pension', we were told.

You should have received HRP from April 1978 when it was introduced, if you had dependent children.

If you go on the Government Gateway you can find your contribution record.

butterandjam

Maria59

I would think it unlikely. The choice was pay less receive less or pay more receive more

Your thinking is wrong, and out of date.

Around 15 years ago I was able to convert some of my old "small stamp " contribution years (did not count for SP ) into fully paid up years, resulting in a better state pension ( backdated!) That was the first govt initiative to improve the pension position of affected women. The costs of "buying back" those years has been an excellent investment

The OP is talking about a different Govt mission to identify many "small stamp" women whose contribution years were were wrongly calculated, resulting in big losses to their SP.
They can now get their record checked and corrected to receive the correct SP.

Years ago I was invited to pay a shortfall - although while working I had paid the full stamp. I asked for the figure, fearing it would be high, and it was £60. Needless to say I paid at once, but I receive the 'old' state pension, and those born later get around £200 a month more. When I queried this I was informed that I had got my pension at sixty, and would therefore still be 'quids in'!

My mum doesn't get much state pension. My Dad farmed and he paid self-employed stamp, she also worked long hours on the farm & paying help's wages etc, but she never paid a stamp. She may have got some credits when she was bringing up my brother & I, & before she married at 21, but that's all.
She did work far harder than her sisters & I remember once having tonsillitis & being off primary school, would be sept/ oct & I was huddled in the corner of the trailer under a heap of coats because she had to help with the apples. One of the most miserable days of my life.

4allweknow - When my DH died in ‘21, I got an extra £4 a week on my pension. I wrote last year and again this to have that checked as I’d heard of widows getting far more. Eventually, I rang DWP and spoke to a lovely lady who explained that any award from DH’s pension would only take me up to the (old) basic level of pension and not beyond it.

I think you’re referring to Pension Credit.
I’ve filled in the forms for a couple of people. It’s not difficult.

My SIL is absolutely incensed that I get a full pension.
I had always paid ‘full stamp’. She did not, and gets rather less (I'm not privy to how much). She looked into it extensively, but never got anywhere. Our working/child rearing years were very similar, working from age 16 to 60.

I'm about to try. I live in NL now. They can only say no. I'll post any result I get, good or bad.

Re:claiming husband's pension allowance when widowed. If only you could. My husband of 55 years worked all his life had a good state pension. No way was I awarded this. Something like a fifth was added to mine. Have I been cheated? Also went on government site to check my own contributions in 70s stay at home for 6 years worked the rest. Full record, no entitlement to any payment.

Paperbackwriter

I was (stupidly) advised to opt for the married woman's reduced NI. Trouble was, that meant the home-care child-raising years somehow didn't count. Pension-wise, I'd have been better off if I'd never, ever worked.

That doesn't sound right to me Paperbackwriter.
Do make fresh enquiries.
Seems to me if you were in receipt of "family allowance" then credits should have been given for these years.

Paperbackwriter

I was (stupidly) advised to opt for the married woman's reduced NI. Trouble was, that meant the home-care child-raising years somehow didn't count. Pension-wise, I'd have been better off if I'd never, ever worked.

Paperbackwriter, my friend seems to think this is the case for her too; I didn't quite understand it, and it was me that advised her to check. She doesn't understand it either. Is it the case that if you previously paid a small stamp, they assume you would carry on even if you subsequently paid a full stamp after childcare responsibilities? You are the first person I have seen with the same issue.