To ask what I'll do for a pension?

[LIareggub]

I worked full time from leaving school at 18 until I was 26 when DD was born. The plan was to be a SAHM then go back to work when she was older. However I was diagnosed with a chronic illness when I was in my 30s which means work isn't possible. I'm now 51.

DH has always worked, but we can't afford to pay into a private pension/his workplace pension as we only have his salary (around £25k) coming in. He's 40 so does have many years of paying contributions to go, touch wood. But we can't imagine being able to afford to pay into a private or workplace pension at any point.

I know I haven't paid enough contributions to be able to claim a state pension, and I'm not going to be able to pay anything else in now. So what will I do? Is there any kind of pension credit I'll be able to claim? Obviously DH will be working well into my pensionable age, so how will that affect everything? And what if the worst happens and something happens to DH, will I literally have nothing at all to live on when I'm older?

Ugh. One more thing to keep me awake at night (and it frequently does).

There is a small tax benefits that married people get if one spouse doesn't work.

Have you claimed that? It wasn't much at the time but absolutely better than nothing. It can be backdated and that could be invested.

You also need to open a sip.

A self invested personal pension.

Once it's open you can small amount and time will help to compound it.

Vanguard's has good life strategy fund's for different ages and stages.. you would need 100% equity.

Definitely go back to Pipp and argue.

Hi OP

I see you said you rent from a HA. Where I work (HA) we have a tenancy sustainment team. One of their roles is to help people maximise their income including help with claiming benefits. This team are fully trained to make PiP claims and will also submit appeals. They know exactly how the forms need to be filled in and how the answers written so you could ask if your HA has similar.

PP is right that it needs to be completed as if you are having your worst of days, not how it is if and when you have a good day.

If you wanted to look hypothetically about pension credit etc, you could go onto www entitled to.com and fill in as if you are a few years down the line.

You can also check your state pension predictions through the inland revenue government gateway.

Well done for taking the first step to address things as I know how scary that is and how tempting to put your head in the sand. By facing it head on, at least you know where you stand rather than worrying about the unknown

As long as you have 10 years NI you should get something.

Was child benefit paid to you in which case there should be some NI contributions due to that.

Marking place!

I checked my record a few years ago. I was given NI credits for the 2 years I spent in 6th form.

Is there any way at all that your DH could reapply to join the company pension scheme? In his position, it seems to me that he can't afford not to pay into a pension. Is there absolutely nothing at all that you could cut back on in order to be able to make the pension contributions?

As others have pointed out, by not being in the pension scheme, your DH is effectively taking a voluntary pay cut.

I don't know how his particular scheme is arranged, but if it's a matched scheme, where the employer matches the employee's contribution, then your DH would be opting out of a £60 per month pay rise (the £60 that the employer would pay to match his contribution), not to mention the income tax that would be saved. He would be getting £120 paid into the pension, at a cost to him of just £48. So, £72 per month of "free money" being turned down.

Whilst on the subject of income tax, is your DH claiming married couples allowance? If you're a non-tax payer and your DH pays basic rate, then you can apply to have a percentage of your tax allowance transferred to him. It's not loads, but definitely worth claiming if you're not already.

I believe pension credit is a benefit that can only be claimed once a person is of state pension age.

State pension age currently 66
If you are 51, yours is probably 68
Check your state pension forecast, it will confirm the estimated date for you & amount

We've cut back to the bare minimum and can't make any more savings, so opting back into his pension scheme isn't an option. Come autumn/winter when bills go up again we'll have even less. We already do things like cut our own hair and don't go to the dentist, there really is nowhere else to cut back.

We had a married tax rebate a couple of years ago - that's what makes up most of our savings.

Tomorrow I'm going to look into applying for PIP again.

I agree with the other posters, your description of your symptoms absolutely would qualify for PiP. Please reapply, the extra money would help you out and provide some pension savings.

Wow so helpful!!!!!

Just looked this up for myself!

Is your DH your DD’s father? He’d only have been 15 when she was born, so I’m guessing not. Were you married to her father? If so, did you claim part of his pension in the divorce?

also, if your DH is a civil servant, which it sounds like he is as he works on benefits, it is absolute madness not to be part of the very very good pension scheme.

Are you in receipt of UC? If so, do they take pension contributions into account when assessing your income? Also, just because you didnt get PIP a few years ago doesn’t mean youre not eligible now. Think about reapplying now.

@Angel0fTHEDelight

tax relief is calculated at source, right? There’s nothing extra you need to do?

DD's father and I weren't married. He disappeared off the face of the earth about a week after I told him I was pregnant!

DH isn't a civil servant - he works for a charity.

No, no UC. DH earns too much for us to claim anything. We don't get any sort of benefit, or free prescriptions/dentistry etc.

I'm definitely going to claim PIP again. I'll be on it first thing tomorrow. If I get it, DH can start paying into his workplace pension again - though it won't leave me any better off pension wise should the worst happen, as I understand it. Does PIP count towards your contributions, even if it's just the lower rate?

Great. From your savings, open up a sipp.

Even with 100 in , opening it is the hardest part.

Once it's there you will be add to it very easily.

PIP does not provide contributions, unfortunately. You could apply for new-style ESA. You won't be entitled to payments because you haven't made the necessary NI contributions, but they will still assess you, and if you're found to have limited capability for work they will make NI contributions for you from then on, which will go towards your state pension.

Apply for PIP again as well, but don't take the awful advice to only describe your worst days, unless they happen to account for most of the time. PIP is about the help you need for 50% or more of the time. If you can do an activity, but only with prompting, supervision, or assistance, or with the use of an aid or appliance, you can score points. If you can do an activity, but not to an acceptable standard, as often as needed, or in less than twice the time a non-disabled person would be expected to do it, you can score points.

I would recommend getting advice from the CAB or similar, and going on a site like pip info, where you can read the descriptors and get a handle on exactly what is considered for each activity. For example, in the Getting Around question, they are interested in a person's ability to stand and then walk (reliably, and without pain, breathlessness, and fatigue) outside on typical ground. So pavements and kerbs are considered, but stairs aren't.

"@LIareggub you have a disability - so should be eligible to claim whatever disability benefit and not worry the way you are at the moment. I would go along to citizens advise bureau and ask their advise

Actually you might be ok for the state pension - ring the DWP helpline and ask. It’s about building up 35 years of National Insurance credits.

If you worked for 8 years, then claimed child benefit then you get NI credits for all those years up to the age your child turns 12. That child benefit “clock” keeps ticking with younger DC until they’re 12.

I assume if you claim Universal Credit this also gives you NI credits, but I don’t know about that- best to check, but not to panic.

Pay off debt, pay down your mortgage if you have one, and crucially get DH to ring his pension provider to check you’re named as his beneficiary or that you get “spousal benefit” depending on his type of workplace pension.

You have my sympathies re your illness. My DM has two permanent, debilitating and very serious illnesses- she could never work more than part time, and has suffered hugely in financial terms as a result.

"@LIareggub you have a disability - so should be eligible to claim whatever disability benefit and not worry the way you are at the moment. I would go along to citizens advise bureau and ask their advise

Trying getting help from citizens advice to apply for PIP again. They can help with your application and are brilliant. Loads of people succeed that have previously been refused.

You can speak to pensionwise for free help and advice on your pension.