A to Z

Home Responsibilities Protection

What is it?

  • Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP) is not a benefit, but a scheme which helps you protect your basic State Pension
  • You may also get extra pension through State Second Pension
  • If you do not work or your earnings are low and you are caring for someone, you may be able to get Home Responsibilities Protection.
  • From April 2003, HRP is also available to registered foster carers.

Can I get it?

Do you get:

If you receive one of the above, you should get HRP automatically.

Or are you:

If YES to one or both of the above, you should apply for HRP.

If you did not get HRP because your partner claimed Child Benefit
Usually the person who stays at home to look after children is the one who claims Child Benefit and can get HRP. But, if your partner claimed Child Benefit and they did not need HRP because they were working and paying National Insurance contributions, you can ask for the HRP to be transferred to you.

You can do this if:

  • you reach State Pension age on or after 6 April 2008
  • you were living with your partner and sharing care for a child under 16
  • your partner claimed Child Benefit
  • your partner does not need HRP because they paid enough contributions in the year for it to count towards their State Pension
  • you would have been able to get Child Benefit if your partner had not claimed

You will need to complete form CF411 to apply for the HRP to be transferred to you.

What else should I know?

If you get Carers Allowance you will get NI credits and will not usually need HRP.
Find out more about Carers Allowance on the Directgov website

If you are a woman, you cannot get HRP for any year you are entitled to pay reduced NI contributions for married women and widows, while you are working.

HRP also helps protect Bereavement Benefits for your husband, wife or civil partner. Information about both of these benefits is available on the Directgov website.)

back to top

How do I claim?

To claim Home Responsibilities Protection, you need to contact your local Jobcentre Plus office to get leaflet: 'How to protect your State Pension if you are looking after someone at home', and claim form CF411.

Contact Jobcentre Plus

Or you can download the claim form CF411 from the HM Revenue & Customs website.

Download the Home Responsibilities Protection claim form (PDF, 89K)

Extra Pension help from 2002. From April 2002, the State Second Pension reformed the State Earnings-Related Pension Scheme (SERPS). In particular, for the first time, people who do not work, or who earn very little, may be able to receive extra pension, if throughout a qualifying year, they are:

  • awarded Child Benefit for a child under age 6
  • entitled to Carer's Allowance or
  • getting HRP because they are caring for an ill or disabled person.

For more information, see Additional State Pension

How do I claim if I am a foster carer?

If you are a registered foster carer you also need to fill in form CF411 and also show that you have been a registered foster carer throughout the tax year. You need to provide a letter of confirmation from the local authority or agency you work for, confirming that you have been an approved foster carer throughout the full tax year.

When do I need to claim?

HRP has been available for full tax years from April 1978.

If you are claiming HRP for years you have spent caring for someone with a long-term illness or disability between April 1978 and 5 April 2002, you can claim at any time up to State Pension age. But it would be best if you did not wait too long before claiming as it usually becomes more difficult to remember details of what you were doing as time goes by.

Since April 2002, a new rule has been in force. This means that, from April 2002 onwards, you must claim any HRP you need to within three years of the end of any tax year you spent caring for someone with a long-term illness or disability.

This time limit only applies to caring which took place during or after the 2002/2003 tax year. If you looked after someone throughout that year, the latest date you could have applied for Home Responsibilities Protection was 5 April 2007.

Read or print a copy of our leaflet about State Pensions

If you are awarded HRP automatically, for example through Income Support or Child Benefit, the new rule does not apply to you as you do not need to make a claim.

If you are a registered foster carer, you can fill in form CF411 at any time after the end of the tax year but you will probably find it more convenient to do this at an earlier opportunity.

back to top

What is changing from 2010?

If you reach state pension age on or after 6 April 2010, periods for which you have been awarded HRP before this date will be converted to credits.

From April 2010, you may be credited with contributions for periods when you were:

  • receiving Child Benefit for a child under 12
  • caring for a sick or disabled person for at least 20 hours
  • an approved foster carer

For more information on changes to pensions visit our Pensions reform section

What happens if?

I go into hospital or someone I claim for goes into hospital?
You must tell us as soon as you go into or come out of hospital. You must also tell us if someone you get benefit for goes into hospital.

I go to live abroad or visit?
Let us know as soon as you can that you are going abroad. You can get more information about social security agreements with other countries on the Department for Work and Pensions website, or more information about living overseas on this website.

I go into a residential centre or a nursing home?
Your HRP may be affected if you or the person you care for go into care or a home.

More information

Contact The Pension Service

Other help

You can apply for a State Pension forecast
Child Benefit (This will take you to HM Revenue & Customs website)
Carers Allowance (This will take you to the Directgov website)
Income Support (This will take you to the Jobcentre Plus website)
Pension Credit
Living overseas? Read our frequently asked questions section

Remember that this website is only a general guide to benefits and schemes, and is not a full and authoritative statement of the law.

back to top