§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on his Department's policy on crediting married women with national insurance contributions so that they can draw a pension in their own right and prior to their husband's 65th birthday.
§ Mr. JackThe national insurance scheme introduced in 1948 contained provision for married women to opt out of compulsory insurance and to rely on their husbands' insurance for pension purposes. This provision remained in effect until May 1977, when the right to opt out was abolished in line with the introduction of the new pension scheme which established the principle of equal contributions for equal benefits. However, women who were currently opted out were allowed to remain so, subject to certain conditions. In 1978 home responsibilities protection—HRP—was introduced to help safeguard the basic pension entitlement of individuals who were unable to work because of domestic responsibilities.
Married women who pay full rate contributions are awarded credits on the same basis as any other contributor. They also have the same access to home responsibilities protection. Such women may draw any pension to which they are entitled in their own right as soon as they reach age 60. Married women who choose to exercise an existing right to pay reduced rate contributions, rather than the full rate are neither awarded credits nor do they have access to HRP although they are free to start paying full rate contributions at any time. However, they can usually expect to receive a pension based on their husbands' contributions. In these circumstances, the pension will not be payable before the husband's 65th birthday.