If before reaching state pension age, you care (or cared) for a grandchild or young family member while the child’s parents were at work, you may be entitled to claim for national insurance credits which can fill gaps in your national insurance record and top up your state pension.

 There are four criteria that must be met in order to apply for this:

  1. You’re a grandparent, or another family member, caring for a family member under the age of 12.If you were caring for them but now aren’t, or they are 12 or older, you may still be able to backdate your claim all the way back to 2011.
  1. You were over 16 and under state pension age when you cared for the child in your family.
  2. You live in the UK.
  3. The parent must be registered for child benefit and earning enough through employment to have their own qualifying year for state pension.

Applications for the credit can be made by completing a form on HMRC’s website:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-specified-adult-childcare-credits

Please do not hesitate to get in touch with your Drummond Laurie contact to discuss this further.