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State Retirement Pensions

Asked by Lisa SmartLiberal DemocratDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled Answered 25 March 2025UIN 39622

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has plans to review the application of (a) National Insurance contributions and (b) home responsibilities protection in cases where an individual was contracted out of the Additional State Pension.

Answered by Torsten Bell

Before 6 April 2016, people were able to contract-out of the Additional State Pension. For the years they were contracted-out, they would be entitled to the basic State Pension only. When assessing State Pension eligibility under both the pre-2016 and new State Pension systems, the Department takes into account the impact of past contracting-out.

There are no such plans to review this approach which is in accordance with legislation.

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