Can I be counted as an unemployed individual if my husband earns a good salary?

[Legwork]

Posting here for traffic - I haven’t worked for a few years due to caring responsibilities so haven’t got NI contributions since 2020. My husband earns well. I want to be getting NI contributions while I look for work, but I can’t see any way of registering as unemployed without a benefits claim. I even tried to claim JSA knowing I’d be turned down in a bid to get myself into the system but they just said ‘no’ and sent me a P45?!? I’m worried about my state pension but can’t see a way to even be a statistic unemployed person. I’ve been on hold hour after hour to the DWP and when I get through get passed around but no one knows. 🤷‍♀️ Can anyone help?

I pay NI contributions on my government gateway account online. Do you have one?

I'm now a housewife/early retired and pay voluntary contributions (approx £80 per month) towards my state pension. Well worth doing in my opinion. I also pay into a private pension each month.

fancifulmanciful I could pay in, but as I understand it, anyone actively seeking work is entitled to NI credit. I can fully understand that as a married couple I have to use his salary, but I thought NI was separate?

If you aren’t entitled to benefits then you will need to pay your own NI contributions.

What are your caring responsibilities - have you checked whether they qualify you for NI credits?

https://www.gov.uk/national-insurance-credits/eligibility

Were you looking after a child under 12? If you were, your NI will be covered as long as you are in the Child Benefit system (you don't need to be eligible for the payments to get NI credits).

If it is the case that I have to pay them myself then so be it, I do wonder why I can’t count as a statistic though! It’s probably petty, but I’m unemployed at the moment, really don’t want to be and on that basis I feel like I should be in the numbers, petty as that sounds!

I was made redundant in COVID and my Granny needed some basic help and we didn’t want her in a home so I didn’t look for anything - I wouldn’t say I was her cater, she was frail but not ill. She’s passed on now. My kids are 16 and 17 so way past 12!

I e just checked on my gateway and I have 5 years were I didn't pay enough ( husband had massive salary job and I was home
With kids) what does this mean?

The link above say you are eligible if

“You’re unemployed and looking for work, but not on Jobseeker’s Allowance” darned if I can see a way to claim them though!

in those years you were home with the kids were you claiming child benefit? if so this should count towards your contributions

Ok I can see I am
Eligible but how do
I claim
Them?

I wasn’t at home with the kids - they were teenagers. I helped my Granny out - prior to covid she was in respite care home placements quite a lot and home the rest of the time - I took over the cooking and cleaning and things - she didn’t need intimate care or anything so I wasn’t a true carer as such.

absmckabsbba same question here!

See if you can find this link.
If I click on it, I go straight to the form and can only download/share directly etc.
I haven't gone through it in detail, but it appears to be a form to make the claim.

I guess you aren't considered 'unemployed' as you're being financially supported by someone who earns over the benefits threshold and therefore you could be paying your NI voluntary contributions from your financial support. If you've been claiming child benefit you'll have got it, even if you've claimed and then your husband has paid it back through tax.
you aren't 'unemployed' by

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/565704/response/1345934/attach/html/3/JSANC1.pdf.html

This appears to be a text version and you can download the pdf version via a link at the top of it.

If you can't be credited then have a think about paying in. You need 35 years by the time you get to retirement age. Check how many you have. If you intend to return to work then think twice about paying now.

Oooh -Chasingsquirrels that looks promising at first glance.

what I would really value is the support to get back into work that comes with trying to get people off benefits. I’d value someone having a moan at me once a week because I don’t know what I’m doing wrong - I’m quite well qualified but I’ve now got a 3 year gap on my CV that’s not looking too good. I’d take anything but I’m on a waiting list for an operation on a hernia so can’t do anything physical and I’m in a really deprived area with no big employers. Feel rather useless.

I have no experience of the job centre, but I'm not sure you'll get that nowadays? Others maybe able to help more with that - and probably another thread with a different title?
Good luck with both the NI credits situation, and the job search!

I see what you are trying to do @Legwork

You are trying to claim a benefit, so that your NI contributions will be paid for you, I.e. get a NI credit.

I suspect the reason you were turned down for the new Job Seekers Aalowance is because you are not eligible.

To be eligible for the new JSA, you need to have in the last 2 - 3 years:
● been an employee
and
● paid Class 1 NI contributions.

If you have not been employed since 2020, you wouldn't qualify for JSA.
Or get a support coach to make sure you are looking for work.

You will need to have a look if there are any other benefits you can claim, but I suspect you are not entitled to any.
In this case, you will need to consider paying the NI shortfalls for your state pension.

Sent you a PM @Legwork

Can't help re NI contributions but if you want help in getting back to work have you tried looking at the National Careers Service for help and support?

If you claimed child benefit you'd get your NI contributions paid until your youngest was 12. I found this out when I checked my pension contributions and they stopped when 18 year old DS was 12. I have a younger child so should have claimed child benefit in their name but didn't know they stopped at 12 🙄, was only claiming and paying it back through DHs tax return thinking I'd get the bloody credits.

you can pay voluntary contributions. If you don't do that, your state pension will be drastically reduced, or else you will have to buy in years at a much higher cost.

I haven't worked since 1996 when DD was born. I was a SAHM but then diagnosed with an autoimmune disease in 2009 which has left me unable to work. I tried to claim PIP about ten years ago but was denied because I could walk from the bus stop to the office and said some days I could go shopping albeit with difficulty (my disease fluctuates, but I'm in pain every minute of every day). So no benefits.

I can't afford to pay anything in. I'm screwed, aren't I? I won't be getting any pension at all.

DH has always worked so he'll get a state pension but we can't afford to pay into his workplace pension either. We're both screwed!