Having an issue with Job Seekers Allowance National Insurance Credits

[jeff_leigh]

I'd appreciate some advice concerning a letter I received from the DWP, Below in inverted commas I've included what was in the letter Verbatim:

"We have decided that we cannot pay you National Insurance Credits after the end of the financial tax year.
This is because you reach state pension age in the next tax year.
We have awarded your credits for the 2023/2024
tax year"

Maybe I'm reading the letter wrong but it looks to me like the letter says I won't get any more Credits after April 2024, This is a concern for me as I don't retire until December, Are they saying that they're not going to pay the final 7 months ?

Thanks Jeff

 

[Elpenor]

How many years do you have in the state pension? If you have enough already, then there shouldn’t be any downside to this… I think

 

[Raheem]

You can also buy national insurance credits to bring you up if you don't have enough (even if you might feel you shouldn't have to).

 

[Elpenor]

How many years do you have in the state pension? If you have enough already, then there shouldn’t be any downside to this… I think

If you have a govt gateway HMRC account / access to their app then you can also check this very easily I should have said

 

[jeff_leigh]

How many years do you have in the state pension? If you have enough already, then there shouldn’t be any downside to this… I think

There are a few years of gaps in my contributions due to a few years working abroad

 

[jeff_leigh]

You can also buy national insurance credits to bring you up if you don't have enough (even if you might feel you shouldn't have to).

Thanks I’ll look into this, If I don’t have the money to buy them do you think Pension Credit would make up the difference ?

 

[Raheem]

Thanks I’ll look into this, If I don’t have the money to buy them do you think Pension Credit would make up the difference ?

It's not something I know a lot about sorry.

Also, I would guess there might be restrictions on how much NI credit you can buy.

Half a tale, sorry.

 

[Glitter]

How big are the gaps? You need 35 years of conts to get the full pension so, even with gaps, you may have more than enough.

It’s easy to check on the HMRC app.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

do you think Pension Credit would make up the difference ?

i'm too long away from it to know the details, but i understand that pension credit is there to provide a certain level of income to anyone over pension age whose income is less than that.

i believe that 'capital' (as in savings, shares etc) can be taken in to account, but not the value of a house you own and live in.

the benefits calculator on entitledto may be worth a play (you'd have to add a year or whatever to your age, and enter how much you expect to get in state pension / other pensions etc) and be aware the rules can change over time.

you may also (if you're on a low income in retirement) be entitled to means tested council tax reduction, and housing benefit (if you are a tenant where you live)

There are a few years of gaps in my contributions due to a few years working abroad

at the moment, think you only need 35 years' worth of NI contributions to get the full state retirement pension, have you checked your state pension forecast?

 

[nottsgirl]

I think you should be alright for pension credit anyway. I’m not sure if you even need a minimum number of years to get pension credit.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

I think you should be alright for pension credit anyway. I’m not sure if you need a minimum number of years to get pension credit.

fairly sure the point of pension credit is that it's means tested not NI contributions based.

and probably stating the obvious but may be worth adding (as i've heard of people being put off claiming it because they think it is a loan) it's not 'credit' in the sense of being a loan.

 

[jeff_leigh]

Elpenor Raheem Glitter Puddy_Tat nottsgirl Thanks for taking the time to help me out