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pension credit while on pip
road2ruin
Member Posts: 1 Listener
Hi. I'm trying to find out if I'm entitled to get pension credits as my pension is due in November and I have got some gaps, I have been on pip since June 2015 but never had had any credits, can I claim back these credits for the last 3 years, I'm not working due to ill health and my disability for the last 6 years.
Replies
Have you tried our benefits calculator tool? This can give you an idea of whether you are eligible for Pension Credit.
Hope this helps!
You can't claim Pension Credit until you reach Pension Credit age (which is pension age for a woman - by the end of the year, this will be the same for everyone).
Pension Credit does NOT rely on national insurance contributions, but your state pension does.
If you've been claiming ESA or UC then you may have got credits for limited capability for work. If you haven't been claiming ESA, it's not too late to make a 'credits only' claim (if there's some reason you can't actually get the benefit).
The first step, as others have suggested, is to use the pension forecast tool. Then if you are not getting national insurance credits at the moment, think about getting them (either via benefits or by a 'credits only' claim for ESA). You can get credits for limited capability for work backdated quite a long way, so this is well worth doing. You can also explain why you didn't apply for the credits before and you may get them backdated even further.
You can pay voluntary contributions for missing years, but check first how much is missing and whether you qualify for national insurance credits instead, and how far back you can get them.
Finally, as others have suggested, it's not always worth paying voluntary contributions -it may not make a big difference to your pension. And if your state pension isn't very high and you're on PIP, you stand a good chance of getting some Pension Credit on top (try the benefits calculator once you know what level your pension is going to be).
Will
As others have said on this thread, your first port of call, is to get a pension forecast.
Thereafter, you should seek the assistance of Age UK, via helpline tel: 0800 055 6112.
By way of example, once you reached the age of 60 yrs, you have NI credits till your state pension age, I suggest you will be 66 years of age by then.
Importantly, you would be entitled to the severe disabilty premium, because of your PIP award, which is £64 per week on top of your pension credit.
I would strongly advise that you seek expert advice, about buying extra years for your state pension.
I am tagging this @TheBenefitsTrainingCo for their considered opinion, on this post.
Best wishes
That is why I suggested, that he/ she contact Age UK for specific advice.
Rather than second guessing.