I gave up work nearly a year ago to look after the kids as it wasnt financially viable to put them in nursery (twins). Should i have informed the jobcentre or some similar organisation? I am not claiming any benefits and i am not entirely sure i am entitled to any but i am just thinking when i return back to work the tax man might be wondering what happened to my tax input. May be somebody needs to know for statistical purposes.

its worth checking that you are either paying national insurance or getting national insurance credits. not contribution to NI affects your entitlement to benefits (e.g. pension) in the future

https://www.gov.uk/national-insurance-credits/eligibility

Slackers has it. Make sure contributions are accounted for. My mum took time off to have kids NI contributions were reduced. Her state pension is less than £1 per day.

Having chosen to give up work you’re probably not entitled to benefits but slackboy’s right about the NI thing.

It would be worth checking about the benefits though. I assume you’re already getting child benefit ??

assume you checked to see if you were due a tax refund for the year you stopped working as well? If you stopped part way through you would have only used x/12 of your personal allowance etc..

Thanks guys i will check about my NI today. Not bothered about getting any benefits, hate the very idea of them. We can survive on one wage just about so do dont see the need to sponge off the state.

as pedroball says….do check with HMRC to see if you are owed any refunds. could mean free bike stuff!!!

you wont even have to turn off daytime TV :P, just give them a call

you can sign on to get your NI credits

The DWP will hate you and make you rliofe a misery as you count in their statistics and yet your “pay” is often less than t eh bus ticket to get thre – what is it less than £3 a week “stamp”

probably easier to pay this yourself

NB you need 32 years to get a full pension. given the age we will be expected to work to you should achieve this even with a 20 year break