§ Mrs. Haymanasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what guidance is available to women who pay reduced rate national insurance contributions when at work and who might find it advantageous to change to full contribution liability in order to build up rights to benefits under the new pensions scheme.
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§ Mr. OrmeA married woman or widow who still has the right to pay reduced contributions may write to the Department of Health and Social Security saying that she is giving up this right and choosing instead to be liable to pay the full rate of contributions. She can do this even if she is not at present working. A change to full liability means that she will pay full-rate contributions when she is at work but she will continue not to have to pay any contributions when she is not working. By making this change, a woman at work will build up benefit rights under the new scheme. A woman who is at home bringing up a family or, in some circumstances, looking after a disabled or elderly person, will get "home responsibilities protection" which make it easier for her to get a basic retirement pension. The date when the change takes place will generally be the 6 April following the date when the woman writes to us. However, if she has had the right to pay the reduced rate of contribution since before 6 April 1975, but has not had to pay contributions or been self-employed since then, the change to full liability can be from the 6 April before she wrote. In either case the important thing is that she should write to the Department as soon as possible and certainly before 6 April 1979. Married women can find out more about national insurance from leaflet NI 1 and widows can find out more from leaflet NI 51; these leaflets have a tear-off form which can be used to tell the Department about wanting to give up the right to pay reduced contributions. Women can get these leaflets, and any further information they need, at local social security offices.