State Pension - What counts as qualifing years?

[dasherman]

I know you currently need 39 or 44 years of contributions to get a full state pension and this is to change to 30 years from 2010.

But what I would like to know is,do you have to be in full time work for that long or do years spent in full time education or any time unemployed count aswell.

Thanks in advance.

[Ethel]

You don't have to be in full time work for the qualifying period - certain benefits count - Carers' Allowance, Jobseekers Allowance and Incapacity Benefit all count.

If you are in receipt of Child Benefit and not been in work or claiming Jobseeker's Allowance because you have been raising children, then you qualify under Home Responsibilities Protection. Similarly if you have not been able to work because you have been caring for someone who is sick. More about HRP here:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefit s/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/Caring_for _someone/DG_10018691

Full time education does not count.

[dasherman]

Thanks Ethel,but having looked into the matter I'm not sure you're completely right with regard to full time education.

A sentence from the link below states that,'Young people, with no liability to pay Class 1 or 2 contributions, can also claim credits for the tax year in which they reach 16 and the two following years.'

I could be wrong,but I take that to mean that if you stay at school or other education between 16 and 18 then that does count towards the state pension.

http://www.pensionsadvisoryservice.org.uk/stat e_pensions/credits/