It's important to consider how unpaid caring may affect your future State Pension
You may worry about the effect caring will have on your State Pension, especially if you have had to give up work because of your caring responsibilities. We shine a light on ways to protect your right to a State Pension and make plans in advance.
Five steps to maximising your State Pension
Step 1: Make sure you receive all the relevant benefits you are entitled to – email advice@carersuk.org for a benefits check.
Step 2: If you are not paying National Insurance (NI) contributions through employment, and are not receiving benefits that will give you NI credits, check whether you can claim Carer's Credit (see the Carer's Credit section for further information).
Step 3: Check your NI record either online, by contacting the NI Helpline on 0300 200 3500 (textphone: 0300 200 3519) or by writing to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) (you can see the address here).
Step 4: Ask for a State Pension forecast either online, by contacting the Future Pension Centre on 0800 731 0175 (textphone: 0800 731 0176) or by writing to the Future Pension Centre (you can download the form and see the address here).
Step 5: Look into what else you could be doing for your State Pension – contact the Pensions Advisory Service for impartial advice. See below for answers to some important questions about how caring could affect your State Pension.
Your State Pension age is the earliest age you can start receiving your State Pension. It may be different to the age you can get a workplace or personal pension. Your State Pension age is worked out based on your gender and date of birth and you can check this here.
Not everyone qualifies automatically for a full State Pension on reaching retirement age.
The amount of State Pension you receive usually depends on how many qualifying years of National Insurance (NI) you have built up over the years. If you miss paying these because you have taken time out of paid work, then you could lose out.
However, if your employment ends because you are caring for someone who is disabled, ill or frail, the state can credit your NI contributions for you. Note that this isn't automatic and only happens if you claim the right benefits and take the right action.
The new State Pension was introduced on 6 April 2016. One new pension now replaces the former basic and Additional State Pensions. If you reached State Pension age on or before 6 April, different rules apply (even if you deferred your pension) – see I reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016.
If you reached State Pension age on or after 6 April 2016, you may qualify for the new State Pension. (This is sometimes referred to as the ‘flat-rate’ pension.) Check your State Pension Age.
The maximum rate for the new State Pension is currently £221.20 a week (2024/25 rate).
To get the maximum amount of £221.20 a week (2024-25), you must have paid NI contributions or had NI credits for 35 years. Anyone with fewer than 10 years will not receive anything. Those with between 10 and 34 years of NI contributions or NI credits will get a proportionate amount of the maximum new State Pension.
Unlike under the 'old rules', the new State Pension does not have any additional amounts.
You can claim online at GOV.UK.
Or call the State Pension claim line on 0800 731 7897 or complete a State Pension claim form and send it to your local pension centre. It can be requested over the phone or downloaded here.
If you reached State Pension age after 6 April 2010 but before 6 April 2016, you need 30 qualifying years of National Insurance (NI) contributions or NI credits to receive the full basic State Pension. If you have fewer than 30 qualifying years, you will receive a proportionate amount.
If you reached State Pension age before 6 April 2010, you need 39 qualifying years if you’re a woman and 44 qualifying years if you’re a man to get the full basic State Pension. If you have fewer than this, you’ll receive a proportionate amount (if you have at least 10 qualifying years for a woman / 11 qualifying years for a man). You may also be able to increase the amount you get by using the NI contribution record of your spouse or civil partner or by making voluntary NI contributions.
You may receive more than the basic State Pension, because the 'old rules' included an Additional State Pension (previously known as SERPS or the Second State Pension). It is paid to people who have paid over a certain level of NI contributions per year, or who have received the right benefits, or who have had their contributions paid for them.
If you reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016, you will stay on the ‘old system’ and will keep the State Pension you already have. The ‘old style’ State Pension will also continue to be uprated each year.
Normally, you need to have 10 qualifying years on your National Insurance record to qualify for any new State Pension.
For the latest information on what counts as a qualifying year (if you’re working or not working), see the GOV.UK website.
You may worry that you have gaps in your National Insurance (NI) record:
- if you have had breaks in paid employment that are not totally covered by benefits
- if you have spent time caring without realising you were entitled to benefits
- if you have had periods on low level earnings ie, paid below the level at which you pay NI contributions
If you are currently under State Pension Age and care for someone for at least 20 hours per week, you may be able to claim a benefit called Carer's Credit. This will protect your right to a State Pension even if you are not working or claiming benefits. See our page on Carer’s Credit.