Can NI Credits be paused temporarily?

adamnew
adamnew Online Community Member Posts: 14 Listener
in Work

Hello, I hope you are well. I have been unemployed for some time due to chronic illnesses and I receive National Insurance (NI) credits, but nothing else as my contribution based ESA could only last 1 year.

I maybe starting a temp job working from home, and my PAYE salary for those months will likely pay the NI.

Can anyone advise please if I need to contact someone, for example, the Department for Work and Pensions and let them know? Also, can I ask them to pause the NI credits for the months I maybe working and then recommence them for when I become unemployed again? Or would I need to go through a new application?

Thanks.

Comments

  • Rosie_Scope
    Rosie_Scope Posts: 5,522 Scope Online Community Coordinator

    Hi @adamnew, I'm afraid I'm not too sure on this one myself, but perhaps another member might have been through a similar experience and can offer some advice.

    It might be best to contact the DWP to ask where you stand with this, they might be in the best place to advise you how it'll work and whether there's any more actions you'll need to take.

    Hope you're able to get some clarity on it soon 😊

  • adamnew
    adamnew Online Community Member Posts: 14 Listener

    Thanks for your advice.

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing

    NI credits will just continue providing you’re not earning more than £183.50/week and work less than 16 hours per week. It’s known as permitted work. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/employment-and-support-allowance-permitted-work-form/permitted-work-factsheet
    Just ring ESA and tell them you’re working.

  • adamnew
    adamnew Online Community Member Posts: 14 Listener

    Thanks for the information. I will be working 35 hours a week and I will be earning more than £183.50 per week. I may have to contact DWP as advised by Rosie_Scope

  • adamnew
    adamnew Online Community Member Posts: 14 Listener

    Hello I hope you are well. I spoke with someone on the phone after a very long wait who sounded unpleasant and incredibly incompetent.

    They seemed confused and refused to pause the NI credits and decided to stop the credits immediately and not when I start work despite my requests. When my work ends they said I need to make a new claim through Universal Credit which I am not eligible for because of some savings from my redundancy. I asked for a reference for the call and was not given one.

    I feel like the call was very stressful and that I was given wrong instructions despite the clear details I provided. I am worried what information they may have incorrectly put on the system. My health isn't improving, there are no new treatment options and I have no idea I can do this job after so many years, even though it is from home.

    I really don't want to go through the whole claim and assesment process again, I was previously on contribution based ESA which only lasts one year. Is my option to apply for New Style ESA when my contract ends?

    Thanks.

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing

    Contributions based ESA only lasts for 1 year if you’re not in the Support Group. If in the Support Group payments continue for as long as you remain entitled to them.

    As you will be working more than 16 hours then the NI credits will stop.

    An ESA claim that credits only is not actually a claim as such but you’re entitled to NI credits based on Limited Capability for work.

    There’s such a thing as a 12 week linking rule for contributions based ESA when you’re receiving payments. I don’t know if this applies when your claim is credits only. The linking rule would mean they would link the old claim and the new claim together. If the linking rule doesn’t apply then you will need to go through the assessment process again.

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