More than 123,000 grandparents have successfully increased their state pension by over £300 a year – or an estimated £6,000 over the course of a typical retirement - by applying for Specified Adult Childcare Credits (SACC). This initiative, introduced by the government in 2011, aims to support those who have taken on childcare responsibilities for family members under 12 years old.
How it works
When a child’s parent or primary carer is employed or self-employed and already paying national insurance (NI) contributions, they may not need the additional credits from child benefit claims.
These ‘extra’ credits can be transferred to the child’s caregiver, typically a grandparent, potentially boosting their state pension by £328 annually. There is no minimum number of hours required for childcare to qualify for these credits.
So if you’re taking on childcare responsibilities, you may well be entitled to SACC.