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Credits for parents

You may become entitled to a State Pension by paying National Insurance contributions. Many parents do not pay National Insurance contributions, for example when they are not working, or when their earnings are low.

A system of National Insurance credits is now in place to help parents become entitled to both basic and additional State Pension. You may be eligible for a National Insurance credit in a given week if one of the following applies:

• you get Child Benefit for a child or children under the age of 12
• you are an approved foster carer

You're still entitled to these National Insurance credits if you're a married woman and are paying the reduced-rate of National Insurance contributions. You're entitled to these National Insurance credits as long as you meet the qualifying conditions. The National Insurance credits are also worthwhile if you 're self-employed or you have low earnings because - they mean that you may become entitled to additional State Pension.

You can combine National Insurance credits with National Insurance contributions to make up a qualifying year. This also applies to other types of National Insurance credits you may be entitled to. Your National Insurance credits and National Insurance contributions have to be in the same tax year for you to combine them in this way.

If a family member cares for a child on your behalf, it may be possible to transfer your National Insurance credit to them. For more information see 'Getting Credits towards your State Pension'

• Getting credits towards your State Pension

Home Responsibilities Protection

Up to 5 April 2010, many people who were caring for others were eligible for Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP). This helped protect your State Pension entitlement for years when you were not working or your earnings were low. If you reach State Pension age after 5 April 2010, you will receive National Insurance credits rather than HRP.

HRP worked by reducing the number of qualifying years needed for a State Pension. It was available if you:

• received Child Benefit for a child under the age of 16
• were an approved foster carer

The new National Insurance credits for parents and carers replaced HRP from 6 April 2010. If you had years of HRP before 6 April 2010, up to 22 of these years have been converted into National Insurance credits. These will go towards your basic State Pension.

You were not entitled to HRP if you elected to pay the reduced-rate of National Insurance contributions.

• Home Responsibilities Protection

Transferring HRP between partners

If you looked after the children but your partner got the Child Benefit, you could apply for any HRP to go on your NI account. You might want to do this because your partner does not need HRP because they were working and paying NI contributions. You can also apply for the new credits for parents to be transferred.

Download the relevant application form from the HMRC website.

• Download application form for Home Responsibilities Protection (CF411) Opens new window

• Download application form for credits for parents and carers (CF411A) Opens new window

Getting the new National Insurance credits - do you need to take action?

You will not need to apply for your National Insurance credits if you get Child Benefit for children under 12.

Otherwise, you will have to apply for any National Insurance credits you may be entitled to. You should aim to do this by the end of the tax year following the one when the caring took place. Although late applications maybe accepted. If you think you maybe eligible for National Insurance credits between 6 April 2023 and 5 April 2012, you should apply for them. You will need to apply before 5 April 2013. The new system started on 6 April 2010, so this was the earliest date when you could get these National Insurance credits.

If you are a registered foster carer, you will need to apply to HMRC. You can download the application form for parents and carers from the HMRC website.

You will need a letter from the local authority or Agency who employs you confirming the period for which you have been registered.

• Download application form for credits for parents and carers (CF411A) Opens new window

More useful links

• Caring and your pension (caring for someone section)

• Guide to financial support for carers (caring for someone section)

Useful contacts

• Retirement contacts

• Financial advice and support contacts

• Over 50s contacts