Grandparents claiming child credit

Hi, my sons ex partner works 20 hours and claims child credits, I have helped with child care for 12 years and would like to claim some NI credits towards my state pension , I’m three years short, my question is will this affect the child’s mothers pension or her credits, she is worried it will make a mess of her pension or reduce her pension in the future, I can’t seem to get a straight answer. TIA

Hi,
If you were to apply for Specified Adult Childcare credits and be awarded a transfer, it would have no impact what so ever on the child benefit claimants state pension.
If the child benefit claimant needed the child benefit credits there themselves we would not allow a transfer.
We would only allow a transfer if the child benefit claimant had a full tax year through other means such as paying National Insurance through work or having credits from another benefit.
Thank you."

Hi I no longer contribute to my state pension as I retired early ,I recieve a private work pension . I care for my grandson whilst my daughter works . I checked my state pension forecast and I have 4 year gap in my full pension prediction for 2028. I do not work currently or claim any benefits I wish to transfer child care credits from my daughter. Will my daughter lose out on her NI contributions for her state pension in the future if she transfers her credits to me???

Hi L Russell,
If your application is successful, your daughters National Insurance records would not be affected.
We would only transfer the credits if your daughter didn’t need them herself.
Further information can be found here - Apply for Specified Adult Childcare credits
Thank you.

 

My wife is approaching retirement age and wants to fill missing NI contributions. She was advised to check entitlement to Grandparents child care credits. I am aware of the required form but don't know how to complete the Period of Care dates. How should these be completed if she needs to claim for backdated credits ? Is each period a complete tax year or the total time from start to finish of child care ?

Hi JohnB44,
The application form allows you to add periods of care for previous tax years.
You should input the dates that you cared for the child for each tax year but don't overlap the tax years.
Further information can be found here - Apply for Specified Adult Childcare credits
Thank you.

 

Hi, My daughter is a shift worker so the days that I look after my granddaughter varies each week. Do I input the actual days that I looked after her ir the week that it falls in? If week do I put start date as Monday through to Frisay or Sunday? Thanks

Hi Singapore65 Gauci,
You would need to input the week that the childcare falls in, they can be consecutive.
Regarding the days, you can input Monday to Sunday as long as it equals 7 days. 
Thank you.

I want to apply for Specified Adult Childcare Credits as I look after my grandchildren while my daughter works. There seems little guidance available regarding filling the form. When saying what periods I cared for the child, does each financial year have to be written in separately or can I put from June 2013 to November 2017 for instance? Can national insurance credits be transferred for some weeks in a year only? Can I claim for periods when the recipient of child benefit(my daughter) was on paid maternity leave?

Hi GlamGran,
Yes, you can put one period that covers multiple tax years on the application form as long as the start period is after 06 April 2011. Specified Adult Childcare Credits is a weekly credit and you will receive a Class 3 NI credit for each week or part week you cared for your grandchildren so yes a partial tax year can be awarded. You can still claim for periods as long as you meet the requirements below:
•    you are a Grandparent, or other family member caring for a child under 12
•    you were over 16, and under state pension age when you cared for the child
•    you are ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom, meaning England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, but not the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man
•    the child’s parent (or main carer) agrees to your application by countersigning the form to confirm that
•    you cared for their child for the period stated
•    you can have the Class 3 NI credit for the period stated
Thank you
 

Hello My Mum helped with childcare when my daughter was young. I have checked my credits and they are a full history. If I transfer credits to my Mum how will it affect me? Will it affect my credits history for pension or my receipt of child benefits (family allowance)?Thanks

Hi ksd23,
In 2011 the government introduced a scheme called Specified Adult Childcare Credits (SACC) whereby grandparents can claim a Class 3 National Insurance credit for each week, or part-week, in which they cared for an eligible child. 
The parents Child Benefit itself will not be affected, but the SACC works by transferring the Child Benefit National Insurance credits from the parent to the family member.
This is only done, however, as long as the parent does not need the credits themselves. 
You can find out more about this here:
Apply for Specified Adult Childcare credits
Including how to apply.