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Most people will find it worthwhile to ensure that they are recording entitlement to the National Insurance Retirement Pension (NIRP), especially since the introduction of State Second Pension (S2P).  Those claiming pension from 6 October 2003 may also be entitled to Pension Credit, but this must be applied for 0800 99 1234 by October 2004 as it can only be backdated by 12 months.

You can receive National Insurance (NI) credits if you are not working, or for example if you are receiving child benefit for a child under 16, or regularly caring for a sick or disabled person.

Some married women have no basic state pension in their own right, but qualify for a pension based on their husbands contributions.  This is because married women could elect to be exempt from Class 2 contributions, or pay a lower (3.85%) rate of Class 1 NI contributions.  The election was withdrawn in 1977, but women who had already made it were generally allowed to continue or could subsequently opt to pay the full rate.

If you pay (or are credited with) NI contributions for less than 25% of your working life, you will have no basic pension entitlement, as detailed in the table below.

Years that you have paid or been credited with NI contributions

Percentage of full basic pension for which you qualify

Women born before 7 April 1950

Women born after 5 March 1955 and all men
9 or less 0 0
10 26 0
11 29 25
12 31 28
13 34 30
14 36 32
15 39 35
16 42 37
17 44 39
18 47 41
19 49 44
20 52 46
21 54 48
22 57 50
23 59 53
24 62 55
25 65 57
26 67 60
27 70 62
28 72 64
29 75 66
30 77 69
31 80 71
32 83 73
33 85 75
34 88 78
35 90 80
36 93 82
37 95 85
38 98 87
39 100 89
40 100 91
41 100 94
42 100 96
43 100 98
44+ 100 100

Broadly, full pension entitlement requires adequate contributions 90% of ones working life, i.e. in 45 out of 49 working years for a man from age 16 to 65 and  40 out of 44 working years for a woman from age 16 to 60.  A pension forecast can be obtained by completing form BR19.  You can do this online or download the form at http://www.dwp.gov.uk/lifeevent/benefits/retirement_pension_forecast.htm or apply for a form by post to -

Benefits Agency
RPFA Unit
Pensions and Overseas Benefits Directorate
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE98 1BA
Phone 0191-21-87585
Fax 0191-21-87006

A pension forecast may indicate that you can pay voluntary contributions for previous years.  It will often be worthwhile to make these payments, but not if

If you decide to pay voluntary contributions for previous years, you can send a cheque payable to the Inland Revenue to -

Central Banking Service
National Insurance Contributions Office
Longbenton
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE98 1YX

Write your full name and NI number on the back of the cheque.  Send a full copy of the pension forecast and indicate which year(s) you want to pay.

For voluntary contributions generally and other enquiries, the address of the Contributions Agency for Kent is -

Contributions Agency
Medvale House
Mote Road
Maidstone
Kent
ME15 6GH
Phone 01622-760500

or the national helpline number is 0845-714-3143

See also NIC Summary, Retirement, Pension Contributions, Stakeholder Pensions.

Reminder - disclaimer applies. Please feedback your comments.  This page was last modified 10 November 2003.