The DWP is urging parents and carers to check their National Insurance records as some may be missing out on State Pension payments that they are entitled to
Thousands of parents and carers could be losing out on State Pension payments they are eligible for due to gaps in their National Insurance records. Primarily, women nearing or at State Pension age should check for any discrepancies in their National Insurance record and top up their State Pension free of charge.
Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP) was added to the National Insurance (NI) records of those who claimed Child Benefit for a child under 16 between 1978 and 2000 in order to protect their pension entitlement. It was also automatically given to those claiming Income Support due to caring for a sick or disabled person who were unable to work as a result.
This lessened the number of qualifying years a carer needed in order to receive the full Basic State Pension. In 2010, HRP was replaced by National Insurance credits. However, if someone claimed Child Benefit before May 2000 and didn’t provide their NI Number on their claim, HRP may not have been applied, potentially affecting their State Pension entitlement – and the Telegraph says hundreds of thousands of people could be missing out.
Some people may have already received a letter from HMRC, alerting them that they could have HRP missing from their NI record. Those who spot a deficit in their National Insurance (NI) contributions due to Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP) should know that it can impact their State Pension estimate, especially for those who took a career break for family care responsibilities.
Securing Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP) leads to an update in the individual’s National Insurance (NI) record by HMRC. This triggers a reassessment of their State Pension eligibility by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
Depending on the person’s specific situation, this could result in an increase or no change in their State Pension. In certain cases, those beyond the State Pension age may also receive backdated payments for previous years. To check eligibility and submit a claim, individuals can visit GOV.UK, a process that usually takes around 15 minutes, or they can send their application by post using form CF411.
HMRC has clarified that there’s no need to wait for a letter before making a claim. Individuals can verify their National Insurance record online or via the free and secure HMRC app.
There’s no obligation to apply for HRP if the missing year is already factored into your State Pension calculation or if you’re past the State Pension age and receiving the full Basic State Pension amount. If you claimed Child Benefit after May 2000, this won’t affect you, as providing a National Insurance number on the Child Benefit claim form was mandatory for parents.
Who can apply for HRP?
The GOV.UK website says you may still be able to apply for HRP if, for full tax years (April 6 to April 5) between 1978 and 2010, you were either:
- sharing the care of a child under 16 with a partner you lived with and they claimed Child Benefit instead of you – you may be able to transfer their HRP
- caring for a sick or disabled person
You can also apply if, for a full tax year between 2003 and 2010, you were either:
- a foster carer
- caring for a friend or family member’s child (‘kinship carer’) in Scotland
If you reached State Pension age on or after 6 April 2010, the website says that “any HRP you had for full tax years before 6 April 2010 was automatically converted into National Insurance credits, if you needed them, up to a maximum of 22 qualifying years.”
