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National Insurance Credits

Question for Department for Work and Pensions

UIN 185021, tabled on 15 May 2023

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reason great aunts and great uncles may not claim Specified Adult Childcare Credits; and if he will publish his Department’s rationale for the eligibility criteria for those Credits.

Answered on

18 May 2023

Prior to the introduction of SACC in 2011, a consultation was undertaken (15/10/2010 to 26/11/2010) seeking views. The Government response to the consultation, including the original consultation itself, can be found by visiting www.gov.uk/government/consultations/national-insurance-credits-changes.

Specified Adult Childcare Credits (SACC) were introduced to recognise the contribution that family members make by providing childcare and enabling the primary carer to work. The policy intention was to make as many family members as possible eligible to claim SACC whilst being consistent that the child and adult be related by blood or parental relationship.

While understanding that caring relationships vary widely between families, the position taken with the definition of a “family member” is consistent across several pieces of legislation. Great Aunts and Uncles do not fall under this definition.

Named day
Named day questions only occur in the House of Commons. The MP tabling the question specifies the date on which they should receive an answer. MPs may not table more than five named day questions on a single day.