If I was a Sahm in the U.K., would I get my pension paid into?

[Nomoresundaynightdread]

I’m British, but live abroad at the moment.
I was speaking to my mum, she was a Sahm for years when we were kids (common in the 80’s) she then when to work when we were a little older. She was saying to me that she received payment towards her pension? For staying at home, I’m sure it was until we were 18? Is this true and does that happen now?
Where I am, I’m sure it’s not the case at all and I have to work in order to pay into my future state pension.
Also, if you’re at home and not working, do you have free access to uni/college courses? I’ve always wanted to do a masters, but would have to pay for it myself where I am and we simply can’t afford it at the moment.
I’ve heard both these things, is it true?
Seems so much harder where I am, we don’t get benefits/help in the same way at all.

I agree with NoSquirrels.

Each country has thier own rules for state pension. I don't know the rules for the Portugal state pension, so can't help there.

You are in your 40s, so there is time to sort this out.

I'm.in my 40s too. My the time we get to 68, without a doubt, the UK Stare Pension rules will change over and over again.
If you want to get a UK state pension you need to contribute, and also keep an eye out on any changes that can affect your entitlement to it.

@Nomoresundaynightdread

What I would do is find out the situation with both Portugal and U.K. pensions.

Get the government gateway as others have suggested and whatever the equivalent is in Portugal.

I can’t imagine Portugal will cut you off as you’ve paid into their system for a significant period. So you might get something.

In any event, if you move to the U.K. now you still have time to work the required time; retirement age is now 66 and due to rise…. So really I wouldn’t worry about it.

If you do the masters and move into a higher paying job with good pension scheme, this and any pension received from Portugal should compensate for a couple of years lost from state, or facilitate you topping up.

Many people such as teachers find their state is reduced anyway on account of the private pension.

Wouldn’t worry, you still have time, you aren’t 65 facing this conundrum.

Also there is a deadline for making voluntary contributions to make up gaps in record, you can usually only go back 6 years - reading about this on gov gateway as they’ve extended deadline to 23rd July.

Please get yourself an account so you have access to info.

If you don't have full state pension contributions, you get a top up in benefits to equal that amount, so you wouldn't be destitute. Most pensioners I know receive that — their work and state pensions topped up by pension credit and their rent by housing benefit. Of course, with the erosion of the NHS and benefits system that might not still be the case when you reach that age, so it can't be counted on.

@NoSquirrels It says they still have their agreement though, it specifically hasn’t changed due to Brexit, they agreed to to keep the same agreement it says.

Thank you everyone. I think the best thing to do is to keep paying into the system here, but also set up a direct debit for monthly voluntary contributions to the U.K. and perhaps for Dh to do the same. He has worked full time for almost 30 years.
I also have a company pension for ten years working here, I wonder if that gives much

What if you're a SAHM and your h earned too much to claim child benefit? Or never made any other benefits claim whilst a sahm?

So you get zero NI contributions and zero state pension?

No, you either sign up for CB and opt out of receiving payments or you receive the payments and pay back via tax return.

I have done the former since this system was brought in and can confirm I have received the credits via my tax log in. 100%

This isn’t correct, you have to sign up for CB and opt out of payments or pay them
back as mentioned above.

If you're moving to the UK imminently, then you'll probably be able to claim a small amount of pension from Portugal, but I wouldn't get my hopes up hugely. In my family, I have a few people who worked in the UK for some years and have now been resident in Ireland for many years. They get an extremely small amount each month, based on contributions they made in the UK. This is fair in my view. They've since worked many years in Ireland, so that is where 98% of their pension comes from. I think you need to make a decision soon as to which country you'll live in and act quickly and commit to it. That is the disadvantage of moving around from country to country if you're not a high earner with a private pension.

@Ladysquamy I think the best way is to pay into both?

OP, I posted this link yesterday but in case you didn't see it I'll post it again.
You can email the International Pension Centre for information, the link to the online enquiry form is on the page. Your DH should also enquire about his record in the UK.

https://www.gov.uk/international-pension-centre

As other posters have said, under the new state pension rules you can only get a UK pension for qualifying years in the UK and get a pension from Portugal separately.

As you only worked part time in the UK you have to check if you paid enough NI contributions in each of those 8 years for them to count as qualifying years - you might discover that some of those years don't qualify as years towards your pension, hopefully that's not the case (see @Hardbackwriter post). You need 10 qualifying years to be eligible for any amount of state pension and your Portugal pension may be used to bring you up to the qualifying 10 years but you will only be paid for the UK qualifying years (8 or maybe under 8 if some years don't qualify).

@Fullofthejoysofspring provided info from the government UK website and posted an example from the site of a person in a situation similar to yours.

It's so important you discover now what your actual situation is so you can plan for your future and decide where to live and work.

@Alittlestar Thank you so much, I will contact them now.
ive been trying to find out how many of those 8 years counted but can’t log in properly as they’re asking for my U.K. address, but I obviously don’t live there now 🙈and own a home here.
I will contact the above and in the meantime will pay into both systems so at least I’m covered completely

The parameters/rules/conditions are always changing (no of qualifying years, which countries have reciprocal arrangements etc) and politicians such as Jacob Rees Mogg are on record as saying that the retirement age should be raised further soon, so we all need to keep an eye on them to make sure in the long term we’re not done over financially in our old age.

It makes sense to establish what pension you will get OP, and what can be done to maximise it, in the pension accruing years.

Absolutely. 100% agree.

As an example. In the 60s/70s the government introduced the Married Women's Reduced Rate National Insurance.

Working married women could opt in and pay less NI. The reason is, at the time, women's state pension was based on thier husbands NI record. So, it didn't matter if they paid less NI.

Of course, you've guessed it, the rules changed. State pension rules changed to your state pension is based on your NI record, not your husbands.

This left a whole bunch of women in a terrible position. Thet couldn't go back and pay the shortfall of NI. Their state pension could only be calculated on thier NI record, which meant they got no or very little money.

Can you afford to pay into both? It sounds like you are on an ok salary for the cost of living where you live but making voluntary NI payments for both you and your DH could be unaffordable.

www.gov.uk/voluntary-national-insurance-contributions/who-can-pay-voluntary-contributions

You could be able to pay class 2 contributions of £3.45 per week but (and read the details carefully) you may have to play class 3 which is £17.45 a week.

Twice, if you want to pay for your DH too.

@CaptainSeven This is it, I’m not sure. At £70 per month, it would probably just be me paying it

Yes, but I think the problem is that the agreement you thought was in place was a straight swap - you pay in somewhere (e.g. Portugal) and you can claim it anywhere (e.g. the U.K.). But that wasn’t ever the case that it was all in one pot somehow, and like for like.

Anyway! Now you know. Just spend a bit of time finding out the rules in each country, and what happens if you move, and then go from there depending on what you find out. If you’ve got a private pension too, it probably makes sense to put more in that.