Current position
18.Two contribution conditions are required to be satisfied for entitlement to the following benefits:
Category A and B basic state pension;
Widowed mother’s allowance;
Widowed parent’s allowance;
Bereavement allowance; and
Widow’s pension.
19.In the case of a Category A pension, the contribution conditions apply to the claimant. For the other benefits listed the conditions apply with respect to the claimant’s spouse or civil partner (or deceased spouse or civil partner).
20.The first contribution condition is that the relevant insured person must, in any tax year since 6 April 1975, have actually paid Class 1 contributions on earnings of at least 50 times the weekly lower earnings limit for the tax year in question in respect of tax years 1975/76 – 77/78 or 52 times the weekly lower earnings limit for the tax year in question in respect of tax years from 1978/79 onwards. Equivalent number of Class 2 or Class 3 contributions will also suffice. Alternatively a claimant must have paid 50 flat-rate contributions at any time before 6 April 1975.
21.The second contribution condition is that that person must have achieved a minimum number of “qualifying years” during his working life to be entitled to the full rate of benefit. The minimum number of qualifying years required for a full rate Category A or B basic state pension is currently 44 years for a man and 39 years for a woman. A “qualifying year” is one in which a person’s earnings factor for the year is not less than the qualifying earnings factor for that year.
