Hi, my name is SulBro25! Trying to make up a NI shortfall, any advice?
Hi, My company finished me when i was 59/60 due to ill health under what was then the Disability act, I am now 63 have not worked since and am not on any benefits.
I have over 40 yrs NI contributions but as i was contracted out of SERPS until around 2016 when we all obviously started paying full % NI contributions again , have a state pension shortfall of approximately 3/4 yrs.
I recently spoke to the DWP and explained my position and stated I was trying to claim class 1 pension credits only to make up the shortfall, even though i have not paid NI since finishing this did not seem to be an issue with them as I was not claiming benefits as such. I was informed that my case would go forward and I had to send a recent doctors note to the address they supplied which I did.
When I asked what would happen next I was told that a job center would contact me possibly to go in for an interview or in my case with my documented history of health issues a phone call interview.
My question is I believe April 6th this year is the cutoff point were i could pay to make up the shortfall so if this process drags on i could miss this deadline.The DWP person I spoke to stated I would hear something within a fortnight I have received no correspondence. I have tried to ring the Pension credits phone number for help and keep being sent back to another number which sends me back to the number I rung originally !
I am in two minds to go through the www gov site but was concerned I might just muddy the waters so to speak.
Any advice would be welcome.
Comments
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I don't know anything about your pension position i'm afraid but the website is easy to use once you have successfully registered with Government Gateway.
If you google "check my state pension" you will be able to get to the HMRC official site and register for an account.
Be strongly advised to make a note of your number to get in there once it's issued - not just in your password manager but write it down carefully in a notebook, making sure you have uppercase and lower case letters neatly written and digits are clear.
Because, if you lose the number it is a nightmare getting back in there.
Anyway, once in, it is easy to view all your contributions for your entire history going back to when you were 16.
It tells you which years are full. And which years aren't. If there are years which you can still fill, it lets you know.
Easy to use once you get in there!
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