National Insurance Credits/Home Responsbilities Protection

National Insurance Credits

You receive a National Insurance Contribution Credit for each week you receive Carer's Allowance. The credit protects your right to a Retirement Pension and may help you qualify for Incapacity Benefit or Jobseekers Allowance.

Receipt of Carer’s Allowance can help you satisfy the conditions for State Second Pension.

Home Responsibilities Protection

If you cannot get a contribution credit you may be able to get Home Responsibilities Protection. This helps you satisfy the contribution conditions for Retirement Pension and the State Second Pension. If you claim Income Support as a carer, you will receive the protection automatically. You also get automatic protection for Retirement Pension if you receive Child Benefit for a child under 16, and for State Second Pension if you receive Child Benefit for a child under 6. Otherwise you can apply for the protection for each tax year when:

• you look after someone for at least 35 hours a week;
• the person you look after gets the care component of Disability Living Allowance at the middle or higher rate or Attendance Allowance;
• you looked after the person for at least 48 weeks of the tax year.

You must apply for the protection within 3 years of the end of the tax year.

How to claim.

To claim the protection contact your local Inland Revenue office.