National Insurance Contributions

[largo]

I have been told that after you have paid NI contributions for the required number of years you can elect to no longer pay them. If this is true what is the length of time and how does one go about ceasing payments?

[dasherman]

No it is not true, you have to pay NI as long as your are employed.

[anniebird]

If you are still in paid employment you must still pay NI contributions until you reach normal retirement age when you can apply for an Age Exemption Certificate.

[boxtops]

No, that's not true - you go on paying them until you reach retirement age (which is getting later under the latest legislation). You have to apply for an Age Exemption Certificate about six months before you reach the appropriate age, this is sent to you and then you give it to your employer - this is their authority NOT to deduct NI from your pay. Even though they know you may qualify through age, they have to deduct it until they have your AEC on file.

[dotty.]

I think you are getting confused with the minimum you need to pay in contributing years to qualify for full pension, which i think is 30 years, (cot sure of the amount of years so don't quote me)

[boxtops]

39 years, dotty - I know, I've paid 'em.

[ubasses]

It has now changed to 30 years for everyone. I keep getting a letter eache year telling me that I have not made any contributions for the past 12 months and I need 30 years for full pension, then tells me I have 37 years. They like wasting money!!

[boxtops]

Has it, ubasses? Doh - I paid too much, LOL!

[dotty.]

I've paid over 30 years too, plus don't forget the home responsibilities credits we used to get with our family allowance

[boxtops]

sorry dotty, you were right after all!

[craft1948]

I was told by the pensions people that as I my contributions were fully paid up I should not pay NI for the 12 months preceding my retirement.

[boxtops]

Hmmph, they didn't tell me that, I had to get the card before I reached 60 so I could stop paying NI.

[craft1948]

I thought he was talking rollocks boxy. When I spoke to them about claiming my pension I was unemployed and the chap said that if I got a job before I was 60 I shouldn't pay NI. He also told me off for not claiming any job seekers allowance even though I wasn't looking for a job!