Elgin1983

I've been looking into Juvenile NI Contributions, and I wonder if anyone has been down this road and can advise?

It's recently come to my attention that (until 2010, when the scheme was abolished) UK residents in full-time education who weren't working during the tax years in which they were aged 16, 17, and 18 are entitled to Juvenile NI credits from those years. When I checked my record, the years are blank (not credited).

I've just got off the phone to the National Insurance line, and they told me to write in (snailmail! ) to to get them to investigate. With luck I'll get the years credited for free, which will save me a few quid down the line. Has anyone else looked into this, and has it borne fruit?

Shirtback

First I've heard of that! Do you have a link?

What do you have to lose by sending a snail mail enquiry?

Elgin1983

I actually emailed in a query to gov.uk about NI credits while I was at university because a guy at work had said that you're due credits while you're in verified full-time education at any age. Turns out that's not true, but in the reply they told me about juvenile credits from ages 16-18. It was abolished in 2010, but I was 16-18 before 2010 (a long time before, sadly) so should be eligible for the additional years.

Couldn't see anything about it on the official NI website (they're probably trying to eras all mention so people won't claim) but I did a quick google and came up with a few old message board links.

The snailmail is just annoying; having to wait over a month for my letter to get across the world to them, them to reply, and then send it back across the world to me. Who communicates like that in 2017?

Novocastrian

Just apply for a pension estimate from DWP Longbenton. When I did that a few years ago I was surprised to find they had credited me with several more years of contributions than I'd actually worked in the UK, but since I'd also worked in Germany for several years, I assumed the EU bureaucracy was more joined up than I'd expected ad that these years had been added together.

However, when I actually retired and filled out my lifetime work history for DWP, they informed me that I was also eligible for a German state pension. So now I get both.

It seems DWP credited at least some of my years as a student and/or grad student towards my (small) UK pension.

ETA: cross post: the additional pensionable years awarded by DWP were more than 3.

Elgin1983

No, I already know that the three juvenile years are not credited. If you create an account at gov.uk you can see exactly which years you have and which you don't, going back to when you were aged 16.

Shirtback

Is it possible that there are "crossed-wires"/miscommunication somewhere, concerning NI contributions from p-t work done by full time students (at the time)?.

I've never heard of NI credits for full time study aged 16-18 (unless working at the same time, or in receipt of certain unemployment benefits, in the UK).

Echoing Novo: I'm apparently eligible (or will be when I hit retirement age) for a French pension which is currently estimated at such a derisory amount it would cost more than it's worth to claim it.

Regarding snailmail: lots of places, including but not limited to UK government agencies, still use and require it in specific (non-standard) circumstances .

Novocastrian

Don't knock it SB. Under EU rules, if you have a state pension from any EU country, however small, you're eligible for state health care in any other. Given recent events, your paltry French pension might be very valuable if you ever return to the EU after a very hard Brexit.

Shirtback

Oohh, thanks for that, I hadn't realised. I'll keep an eye out for further developments.

Sorry for thread swerve/OT, Elgin1983.

Elgin1983

Well I got the extra three NI contribution years on my record. Took a bit of messing around, and I'd recommend sending a snailmail letter recorded delivery as well as phoning in: I called and sent a letter on the same day, was told they'd call back within a couple of weeks, heard nothing for 3 weeks and called back to be told that in fact I should probably send in a letter. Ha! I replied: I sent one already, and you received it last week. I was put on hold for ten minutes before being told that yes they had received it, but there was an 8-week turnaround on taking action (ah, the public sector!)

In fact they were a little more efficient than that, as I received a call a couple of days later (whether in reply to my initial call or letter I have no idea) saying that it should in fact be sorted within a few days. Couple of days later, another call from the same lady, who told me that they accepted that I should have the 3 juvenile NI years, but that there were "difficulties" with adding them to the computer system, so they would send me a letter to confirm it which I could then use when I reach retirement age.

WTF?! I wasn't having that nonsense, and told them so. If I'm due the years, add them to my record. Never mind giving me a letter for use in 30 years: this isn't Back to the Future. She said she'd take it upstairs, and happily enough called back the following week to confirm that the extra 3 years have now been added. I checked online and they have indeed. Halfway to retirement total now - I can almost feel the sand between my toes!

The office is in Newcastle so I've enjoyed listening to Geordie accents all week: reminds me of Ser Davos Seaworth

nun

Before April 2010, in the years you were 16, 17 and 18, you were automatically credited with Class 3 NI contributions. I got these at the end of the 70s when I was in Sixth Form College. I then proceeded to ignore the chance to make 6 years of voluntary NI while I was at university, but started to make them when I moved to the US in 1987. The next payment for 2016-17 will make 34 years of credits and my 35th year (2017-18) will the last one that Class 2 NI is possible.......nice timing.