Home Responsibilities Protection
Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP) helps maintain
entitlement to basic state pension for those who have to spend
periods out of work because they are bringing up children or
providing care for somebody.
It covers any tax year from April 1978 and effectively reduces
the number of qualifying years that are needed to get a full basic
state pension.
HRP has been replaced for people reaching
state pension age on or after 6 April 2010.
From 6 April 2010, parents and carers are
able to build up qualifying years through new weekly credits for
the basic state pension and additional state pension. If you
are a parent or carer, you will get a credit for each week in which
you:
- are getting Child Benefit for children aged
under 12
- are an approved foster carer
- are caring for at least 20 hours a week for
people who are getting Attendance Allowance, the middle-rate or
highest-rate care component of Disability Living Allowance, or
Constant Attendance Allowance, or the need for care has been
certified
There will be no limit to the credits awarded
to parents and carers after April 2010, as long as you meet the
qualifying rules.
If you reach State Pension age on or after 6
April 2010, complete tax years of HRP you have already built up
before 2010 have been converted into qualifying years up
to a maximum of 22 years. These qualifying years also count
towards bereavement benefits.
Around 500,000 women won’t get the state pension they
are entitled to because they were not credited with HRP for years
after 1978 when they were not working because they were bringing up
children.
If you think this might apply to you or your partner
then click here to download our
advice sheet on what to do to put things right.