National Insurance credits
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1. Overview
You may be able to get National Insurance credits if you바카라 사이트檙e not paying National Insurance, for example when you바카라 사이트檙e claiming benefits because you바카라 사이트檙e ill or unemployed.
This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).
Credits can help to fill gaps in your National Insurance record, to make sure you qualify for certain benefits including the State Pension.
Check your National Insurance record for gaps.
Get credits
Check if you바카라 사이트檙e eligible for credits - you바카라 사이트檒l either get them automatically or you바카라 사이트檒l have to apply for them.
You get one of these types of credits if you바카라 사이트檙e eligible:
- Class 1 - these count towards your State Pension and may help you qualify for some other benefits, for example New Style Jobseeker바카라 사이트檚 Allowance
- Class 3 - these count towards your State Pension only
You can transfer your credits that you got from registering for Child Benefit to your spouse or partner who is living with you if you have paid a year바카라 사이트檚 National Insurance contributions (called a 바카라 사이트�qualifying year바카라 사이트� for State Pension).
Check your credits
Check your National Insurance record to find out if you have credits. If you applied for credits but they바카라 사이트檙e wrong on your record, contact the office where you applied.
if you have questions about National Insurance credits. You can phone the National Insurance helpline if you cannot ask HMRC online.
If you disagree with a National Insurance credit decision
You can challenge a decision about your National Insurance credits. This is called asking for mandatory reconsideration.
2. Eligibility
Check if you might be eligible for National Insurance credits, for example if you바카라 사이트檙e on Universal Credit or Carer바카라 사이트檚 Allowance.
Looking for work
| Your situation | How to get credits |
|---|---|
| You바카라 사이트檙e on Jobseeker바카라 사이트檚 Allowance and not in education or working 16 hours or more a week | You get Class 1 credits automatically |
| You바카라 사이트檙e unemployed and looking for work, but not on Jobseeker바카라 사이트檚 Allowance | Contact your local Jobcentre to claim Class 1 credits |
Ill, disabled or on sick pay
| Your situation | How to get credits |
|---|---|
| You바카라 사이트檙e on Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), or Unemployability Supplement or Allowance | You get Class 1 credits automatically |
| You바카라 사이트檙e not on Employment and Support Allowance but you satisfy the conditions for it | Apply for New Style ESA to get Class 1 credits |
| You바카라 사이트檙e on Statutory Sick Pay and you do not earn enough to make a qualifying year | Apply for Class 1 credits. Write to: PT Operations North East England, HM Revenue and Customs, BX9 1AN, United Kingdom. Include your National Insurance number and say when the credits are for and why you바카라 사이트檙e eligible |
On maternity, paternity or adoption pay
| Your situation | How to get credits |
|---|---|
| You바카라 사이트檙e on Maternity Allowance | You get Class 1 credits automatically |
| You바카라 사이트檙e on Statutory Maternity, Paternity or Adoption Pay, or Additional Statutory Paternity Pay, and you do not earn enough to make a qualifying year | Apply for Class 1 credits. Write to: PT Operations North East England, HM Revenue and Customs, BX9 1AN, United Kingdom. Include your National Insurance number and say when the credits are for and why you바카라 사이트檙e eligible |
Parents and guardians
| Your situation on or after 6 April 2010 | How to get credits |
|---|---|
| You바카라 사이트檙e a parent or guardian registered for Child Benefit for a child under 12 (even if you do not receive it) | You get Class 3 credits automatically |
| You want to transfer credits from a spouse or partner who got Child Benefit for a child under 12 | Apply to transfer Class 3 credits between parents or guardians |
| You바카라 사이트檙e a foster carer, or a kinship carer in Scotland | Apply for Class 3 credits |
| Your situation before 6 April 2010 | How to get credits |
|---|---|
| You바카라 사이트檙e a parent or guardian who got Child Benefit for a child under 16 between 6 April 1978 and 5 April 2010, but you did not get Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP) automatically | Claim HRP to get Class 3 credits |
| You want to transfer credits from a spouse or partner who got Child Benefit for a child under 16 | Apply to transfer HRP between parents or guardians to get Class 3 credits |
| You were a foster carer, or a kinship carer in Scotland, between 6 April 2003 and 5 April 2010 | Claim HRP to get Class 3 credits |
Carers
| Your situation | How to get credits |
|---|---|
| You바카라 사이트檙e getting Carer바카라 사이트檚 Allowance payments or (in Scotland only) Carer Support Payment | You get Class 1 credits automatically |
| You바카라 사이트檙e on Income Support and providing regular and substantial care | You get Class 3 credits automatically |
| You바카라 사이트檙e caring for one or more sick or disabled person for at least 20 hours a week | Apply for Class 3 carer바카라 사이트檚 credits if you바카라 사이트檙e not on Carer바카라 사이트檚 Allowance, Carer Support Payment or Income Support |
Grandparents and other family members caring for a child
You can apply for Specified Adult Childcare Class 3 credits if all the following apply:
- you바카라 사이트檙e an eligible family member over 16 but under State Pension age
- you바카라 사이트檝e cared for a child under 12 at any time since 6 April 2011 and the child바카라 사이트檚 parent or guardian gets Child Benefit and agrees to transfer the credits to you
On Universal Credit
If you receive Universal Credit, you get Class 3 credits automatically.
On a training course
| Your situation | How to get credits |
|---|---|
| You바카라 사이트檙e over 18 and Jobcentre Plus sent you on a government-approved training course that lasts no longer than 1 year | You get Class 1 credits automatically |
| You바카라 사이트檙e over 18 and on a government-approved training course that lasts no longer than 1 year but you were not sent by Jobcentre Plus | Apply for Class 1 credits. Write to: PT Operations North East England, HM Revenue and Customs, BX9 1AN, United Kingdom. Include your National Insurance number and say when the credits are for and why you바카라 사이트檙e eligible |
On jury service
If you바카라 사이트檝e attended court and you바카라 사이트檙e not self-employed, you can write to HMRC to apply for Class 1 credits. Include your National Insurance number and say when the credits are for and why you바카라 사이트檙e eligible.
PT Operations North East England
HM Revenue and Customs
BX9 1AN
United Kingdom
Partners of people in armed forces
| Your situation | How to get credits |
|---|---|
| You바카라 사이트檙e married to or a civil partner of a member of the armed forces, went with your partner on an overseas posting after 6 April 2010, and are returning to the UK | Apply for Class 1 credits |
| You바카라 사이트檙e married to or a civil partner of a member of the armed forces, went with your partner on an overseas posting after 6 April 1975, reach state pension age on or after 6 April 2016, and are not getting Class 1 credits | Apply for Class 3 credits |
Wrongly imprisoned
If your conviction was quashed by the Court of Appeal (or the Court of Criminal Appeal in Scotland) you can apply for Class 1 credits.
Write to HMRC and include your National Insurance number and say when the credits are for and why you바카라 사이트檙e eligible.
PT Operations North East England
HM Revenue and Customs
BX9 1AN
United Kingdom
Who cannot get credits
You cannot usually get credits if you바카라 사이트檙e a married woman paying reduced rate National Insurance.