only 31 years pension credits - what to do?

[54isanopendoor]

I only have 31 years credits for state pension.
there were some gaps when younger when my health was poor for a time but I cant pay those up now as its too many years ago.

I am now a full time Carer & may be for some years. I am 54 but may not be able to work again due to my young persons health / my own health issues.

I am currently legally married but separated & a divorce in progress.
I should get 50% of exH pension for 20 years, but it won't pay much.

What happens if I can't make it up to the 55 years I need?
Im really scared of my financial future.

Is it really 55 years now. Blimey. I thought it was 39. DH retired three years ago, he had a 43 years. But 39 was the required number then. You could request a Pension forecast from DWP if you’ve not already done so. If your combined pensions fall under a certain amount you may qualify for UC or Pension Credit, it all depends on rules in place at the time of your retirement of course.

I had a shortfall of six years credits, DH looked in to paying the credits needed to make it up but we decided it wasn’t worth it. I could have deferred my pension, then decided against that too. My brother had died aged 60 after working extra years to boost his pension ( retirement age was 55 in his line of work) the pension died with him so he’d work those years for nothing. In fact he died before his first pension payment. So that was part of my reasoning for not deferring. I decided to take the pension as was.

You need 35 years of "qualifying years" to get the full state pension. Have you misunderstood the number of years or are those typos in your post?

www.gov.uk/new-state-pension/how-its-calculated

If you have between 10-35 qualifying years then you will get a proportion of the state pension.

If you were ever contracted out of SERPS (eg while paying into a work pension) you'll get a reduced portion for those years.

If you're short of 35 years you can make voluntary National Insurance Contributions in future.

It’s only 35 years that you need. You will still get a state pension with 31 years, just not the full amount. Might you be able to do some part time work at some point to make up the 4 years? Are you getting carer’s allowance or similar? That may give you the NI credits you need to make up the difference.

It’s not 55 years needed for a full pension, it’s 35.

I think carers should get pension credits, they save the Government a a lot in care.

If you are claiming carers allowance you get your NI credits paid.

Firstly, check your numbers. Its not 55 years NI contributions to get a full state pension.

Second, do you get carers allowance? That should provide NI credits in much the same way child benifit does.

You dont need 55 years. Its 35 for full state pension. As somebody else has said. If you are short of years you can pay them. Doesn't matter how long ago. AFAIK.

If you claim carers allowance you get credit. If you can't claim carers, you can pay as if self employed - this is my plan when we go travelling

Given that there are several years coming up that could count, she can also pay in for those, it doesn’t need to be the historic years.

Ah, I'm so sorry I typed 55 years not 35. I meant 35.

I checked & you can't pay up missed years if it's more than 20 years ago
(my inadequate years were 1991-6). Yes, if I stay on Carers' allowance I should be able to qualify for the final 3 years I need. It's just that depends on my young person being awarded ongoing DLA / PIP - it's a lifelong condition but the DWP doesn't seem to realise that & puts us through so much unncessary stress.

But you can pay up in a couple of years for the next few missed years, it doesn’t need to be the missed ones from long ago.

You can also apply for pension top up at the time of retiring
Check out money saving expert he has great pension advice

It isn’t 35 years for everybody. That’s a common misconception. It’s only 35 years if you started making NI contributions after a certain time-2016 I think.
For most of us it will be a different amount depending on our age etc.

I'm in the same position. My carers allowance pays my ni contributions but it all depends on whether the person I care for continues to get the qualifying benefit, PIP. Such a constant stress and worry.

If people don't get full state pension and don't have any private pensions then they just get topped up by pension credit any way which then passports to full rent / council tax etc. half the time they end up better off than those with a small private pension.

If the carers' allowance doesn't cover your contributions, you can still make voluntary contributions between now and when you reach retirement age. You're only 3 years short of 35 so can easily make them up before you reach retirement age, if necessary. You don't need to worry about historic missing years.

Yes, you've got 13 years to make up the missing 4 years and if the situation stays as it is, carers allowance will automatically do this.

If something changes and you lose your eligibility, you can review in 5 or so years' time.

thank you everyone.
sorry to be such a worry wart.
as @MRSAHILL says, there is so much to worry about & my future 'needs' are way down the list that when I sometimes remember them I get a panic on !

If you don't qualify for Carers Allowance there is also Carers Credit which has fewer conditions attached but that does require a bit more paperwork because it isn't automatic in the same way.

@Spacie thanks for posting that, I've just looked at it as I never knew that existed. That may be something I can look at in the future if my dh ever gets refused PIP.

I think to get carers credit, the person being cared for needs to be in receipt of disability benefits. Well that was the case a year or two ago & it will count for state pension (as will carers allowance). Only need to be caring for 20 hrs per week not 35.
Afaik the system for the old state pension crossing over to new is a bit complicated. There's a starting amount formula they use and I think it was 39 or 40 years needed. Years can be bought for around £800 which can pay off if you survive long enough. Best speak to future pensions & check your government gateway.

You ‘think’? You think wrong. It is 35 years for everyone except people that accrued 30s prior to 2016, but after I don’t know when. It’s a small window.

I do believe very old years are not able to be paid retrospectively at least not automatically. Maybe it’s possible to get special dispensation although I haven’t heard of this.

They do