Millions of grandparents help with childcare every week: school runs, after-school pick-ups, the odd full day when the nursery is closed. What many do not realise is that this unpaid help can count towards their State Pension.
The credits are called Specified Adult Childcare credits, and they are one of the least known ways to fill gaps in your National Insurance record. If you are under State Pension age and have stopped working, cut your hours or retired early, they could be worth hundreds of pounds a year for the rest of your retirement.
Quick answer: If you look after a grandchild under 12 while their parent works, you may be able to take over the parent’s National Insurance credits for those weeks. The parent must claim Child Benefit and not need the credits themselves. You apply to HMRC with form CA9176, and you can claim back to April 2011.
In this guide
- What Specified Adult Childcare credits are
- Who can get them
- When the parent can transfer them
- How much they could add to your State Pension
- How to apply, step by step
- Common mistakes to avoid
What are Specified Adult Childcare credits?
When a parent claims Child Benefit for a child under 12, they automatically get National Insurance credits. These protect their State Pension while they are bringing up children.
But many parents do not need those credits, because they are working and already paying National Insurance through their job. In that case, the credit can be transferred to a family member who looks after the child instead.
You get one Class 3 credit for every week, or part of a week, that you provided care. Those credits count towards your State Pension in the same way as paid National Insurance contributions.
Who can get them?
You may be eligible if all of the following apply:
- you looked after a child under 12
- you were aged 16 or over but under State Pension age at the time
- you are a family member of the child (see the list below)
- you are ordinarily resident in the UK (the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man do not count)
- the child’s parent or main carer claimed Child Benefit, does not need the credits, and agrees to transfer them to you
Which family members count?
- grandparents, great-grandparents and great-great-grandparents
- aunts and uncles
- brothers and sisters, including half, step and adopted siblings
- a mother or father who does not live with the child
- the current or former spouse, civil partner or partner of anyone on this list, and their children
So a step-grandparent, or a grandparent’s new partner, can qualify too.
Who will not benefit?
The credits only help if you have a gap to fill. You do not need them for a year when you already have a qualifying year, for example because you worked and earned enough to pay National Insurance, or you received other credits such as those from Carer’s Allowance.
They are most useful if you:
- retired early and are not yet at State Pension age
- work part-time on low earnings
- took time out of work for other reasons
- are self-employed with low profits
When can the parent transfer the credits?
The parent or main carer who gets Child Benefit has to agree to the transfer and countersign your form. HMRC will check that they do not need the credits themselves, which usually means they already have a qualifying year from working or from other credits.
There are two more rules worth knowing:
- Only one credit per Child Benefit claim. It does not matter how many children are on the claim. If you look after three grandchildren from the same family, you can still only get one credit per week from that claim.
- If more than one relative helps, the person getting Child Benefit decides who gets the credit.
What if the parents never claimed Child Benefit?
No Child Benefit claim means no credit to transfer. This catches out higher earners, who sometimes skip claiming because of the High Income Child Benefit Charge.
Parents can register for Child Benefit and choose not to receive the payments. That way they still get the National Insurance credits, which can then be passed on to a grandparent. It is worth mentioning to your children if they have not claimed.
How much could it add to your State Pension?
You need 35 qualifying years for the full new State Pension, which is £241.30 a week from April 2026. You need at least 10 years to get anything at all.
Each extra qualifying year adds roughly 1/35 of the full amount. That is about £6.89 a week, or around £358 a year, for life. If you fill three gaps in your record, that could be over £1,000 a year once you retire.
A full qualifying year needs a full year’s worth of contributions or credits. The childcare credits can make up the whole year on their own, or be combined with other contributions or credits you have for that year.
To find out whether you have gaps, check your National Insurance record on GOV.UK or in the HMRC app. Our guide to State Pension eligibility explains how qualifying years work.
How to apply, step by step
- Check your record. Look for years marked as not full since April 2011.
- Ask the parent to check theirs. They should confirm they have credits to transfer for the years you are claiming.
- Wait until the right time. HMRC says to wait until 31 October after the end of the tax year you are applying for, so records are up to date. For care in the 2025 to 2026 tax year, that means applying from 31 October 2026.
- Gather your details. You will need your details, the child’s details, the dates you provided care, and the parent’s details.
- Fill in form CA9176 online. You cannot save your progress, so have everything ready first.
- Print, sign and post it. Both you and the parent who gets Child Benefit must sign the declaration. Post it to HMRC at the address on the form.
You can claim for care going back to 6 April 2011, so if you have been helping out for years, include all the periods you can.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Assuming you need to be paid. You do not. The credits are for unpaid family care.
- Claiming after State Pension age. The care must have been given before you reached State Pension age.
- Both grandparents claiming from the same family. There is only one credit per Child Benefit claim, so decide together who needs it more.
- Not keeping a note of dates. A simple calendar of the weeks you helped makes the form much easier.
- Applying too early. Wait until 31 October after the tax year ends.
Frequently asked questions
Does the care have to be every week?
No. You get a credit for each week, or part week, that you provided care. Regular help gives the most benefit, but every week counts.
Does looking after the child in my home count?
Yes. It does not matter whether the care is at your home or the child’s home.
Will this affect the parent’s State Pension?
It should not, as long as they already have a qualifying year for that period. HMRC checks this, and the parent should check their own record before agreeing.
Is there a deadline?
HMRC’s guidance does not give a cut-off, and you can claim back to April 2011. Even so, it is easier to apply sooner, while dates are fresh.
If you do not qualify for credits, you may still be able to fill gaps by paying. Read our guide to whether voluntary National Insurance is worth it.
Final thoughts
If you help with grandchildren and have gaps in your National Insurance record, this is one of the simplest ways to boost your State Pension, and it costs nothing. Have a word with your children, check both your records, and fill in the form.
For more ways to protect your pension income, see what to do if you haven’t saved enough for retirement. If you are thinking of leaving work early, read the pros and cons of retiring early in the UK. And when you reach State Pension age, follow our step-by-step guide to claiming your State Pension.
