why do I have national insurance credits?

[isthistoonosy]

I've two full yrs of NI credits for the years I was 15/16 and 16/17 (late 90's). I was working pt and doing my alevels, not claiming any benefits. Does everyone get these two years for free?
I've also other odd 2 - 3 weeks of credits in a fee later years but I've never been on benefits, jury service or anything else the list as resons on their website.

Do you mean you’ve never worked and never claimed CB? Or do you mean you’v Been working the whole time and you’ve got credits that aren’t from employment?

A document I've just read says you get full credits for the years you turn 16, 17 and 18 if you didn't earn enough to pay full contributions. Looks like it was talking about the late 90s/early 00s. I don't know if it's still the case now.

<a class="break-all" href="https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20060324092545/hmrc.gov.uk/leaflets/rd171.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwismISF86PbAhWoDsAKHR5KBL0QFjABegQIBxAB&usg=AOvVaw1NLCSWjTH7d8Vqkpd4cxRx" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20060324092545/hmrc.gov.uk/leaflets/rd171.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwismISF86PbAhWoDsAKHR5KBL0QFjABegQIBxAB&usg=AOvVaw1NLCSWjTH7d8Vqkpd4cxRx

It's on page 8 under 'young people'

I've been working since I was 15 and never claimed benefits (luckily) but have extra NI credits not related to work.

But while I was 15/16 and 16/17 I was very part time and very low wage. I would assume these to be years I have not paid enough NI for them to count towards my pension but I have these NI credits for the whole two years so they do.

Thanks for the document link.

Any ideas on the other random few weeks here and there?

I once worked for a temping agency that paid your holidays on top of your wages each week so when you took annual leave you were technically “looking for work” that week, could it be something like that?

To be honest I wouldn’t put it past the DWP to have just made an error on your record.

I have those ones on my record, for the years I was at Sixth form. I think everyone got them in the 1990's not sure about now.

Random weeks could be agency work, thanks

I got them in the 80s. Don't moan, as it gives you full years towards your pension entitlement!!