Many people approaching retirement may not be aware they need to have made National Insurance contributions for a specific number of years to receive the full New State Pension of £230.25 each week

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The Department for Work and Pensions ( DWP ) has revealed that the State Pension currently delivers a regular income to 13 million elderly people nationwide, with over one million pensioners in Scotland amongst them. This benefit is accessible to individuals who have reached the UK Government’s qualifying retirement age, presently set at 66 for both men and women. They also have to have accumulated a minimum of 10 years of National Insurance (NI) contributions.

The retirement age is scheduled to increase to 67 from April. People nearing retirement may be unaware that securing the full New State Pension payment of £230.25 weekly requires approximately 35 years of NI contributions. This figure represents an average, as certain individuals who were ‘contracted out’ will require additional NI contributions to qualify for the complete sum.

While workplace and private pensions will supplement the State Pension during retirement, a significant number of people may depend on this contributory benefit as their sole retirement income. This makes it essential to understand the years of NI contributions needed to secure the maximum payment.

The State Pension age is also scheduled to rise from 67 to 68 during the mid-2040s. If you’re concerned about how many years you need to work – whether retirement is decades away or just around the corner – our useful guide below should help clarify how National Insurance contributions impact the State Pension you’ll receive, reports the Daily Record.

How to qualify for any New State Pension payment

To qualify for any State Pension, you’ll require a minimum of 10 qualifying years on your National Insurance record, though these needn’t be consecutive. This means that for at least 10 years, one or more of the following circumstances applied:

• you were employed and paid National Insurance contributions
• you were receiving National Insurance credits, for instance if you were out of work, unwell, a parent or a carer
• you were making voluntary National Insurance contributions

If you’ve resided or been employed overseas, you may still be eligible for some New State Pension. You could also qualify if you’ve paid married women’s or widow’s reduced rate contributions – further details are available on the GOV.UK website.

How to qualify for full New State Pension payments

It’s important to understand that ‘full’ refers to the maximum New State Pension amount an individual can obtain.

You’ll typically need approximately 35 qualifying years to secure the full New State Pension if you don’t hold a National Insurance record dating before 6 April 2016 – this figure may be higher if you were ‘contracted out’, more information here.

Individuals who have contributed between 10 and 35 years are entitled to a proportion of the new State Pension, though not the full amount unless they purchase additional NI years.

Qualifying years while in employment

When employed, you pay National Insurance and obtain a qualifying year if:

• you’re in employment and earning more than £242 per week from a single employer
• you’re self-employed and making NI contributions

You might not make National Insurance contributions if you’re earning below £242 weekly. However, you may still secure a qualifying year if you earn between £123 and £242 per week from one employer.

Qualifying years when not in employment

You may receive National Insurance credits if you’re unable to work – for instance due to illness or disability, or if you’re a carer or unemployed.

You can obtain National Insurance credits if you:

• claim Child Benefit for a child under 12 (or under 16 prior to 2010)
• receive Jobseeker’s Allowance or Employment and Support Allowance
• are in receipt of Carer’s Allowance

If you’re neither working nor receiving National Insurance credits

You may be able to make voluntary National Insurance contributions if you’re not in any of these categories but wish to boost your State Pension amount. Further information is available on the GOV.UK website.

Even with gaps in your National Insurance (NI) record, you can still be eligible for the full New State Pension. You can request a State Pension statement which will provide an estimate of how much State Pension you might receive.

To verify if there are any gaps in your record, you can apply for a National Insurance statement from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). If your National Insurance record has gaps that could hinder you from receiving the full New State Pension, you may have options to:

• Acquire National Insurance credits.
• Make voluntary National Insurance contributions.

Chris Paul, the “Point God” who was a 12-time All-Star selection and two-time Olympic gold medalist, announced his retirement on Friday in the capper of a 21-season career that will surely merit induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Paul made the announcement on the first day of the NBA’s All-Star weekend at the home of the Los Angeles Clippers in Inglewood, California. Paul spent his final season — an abbreviated one — with the Clippers, who sent him home in December and wound up trading him to Toronto earlier this month.

The Raptors knew Paul would never play in Toronto, and that begged the question about whether the Wake Forest legend would try to finish the season with another team in pursuit of the thing he never got — an NBA title.

The answer came Friday. He’s done. He said last summer that he has hated missing events with his children over the last few years, and now he can devote himself much more to his family and other interests.

“It’s time for me to show up for others and in other ways,” Paul wrote on a social media post, announcing the decision.

He strongly hinted earlier this season that this year was going to be his last. Paul was a four-time All-NBA first team selection, and he ranks second in NBA history with 12,552 assists and 2,728 steals. He was the first player to score at least 20,000 points while recording at least 10,000 assists; LeBron James and Russell Westbrook have both since done that as well.

“It feels really good knowing that I played and treated this game with the utmost respect since the day my dad introduced me to it,” Paul wrote. “It was the very first relationship I ever knew.”

Paul played for New Orleans, Houston, Oklahoma City, Phoenix, Golden State, San Antonio and the Clippers during his career, spending the last four years with four different teams.

He also was a past president of the National Basketball Players Association — instrumental in getting the league through the bubble season when the pandemic struck in 2020 — and championed the NBA establishing better ties with Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

“From the moment he entered the league, Chris distinguished himself with his savvy playmaking skills, elite competitiveness and intense work ethic,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement, in which he called Paul “one of the greatest point guards in NBA history.”

Paul is 15th all-time in regular-season games played and 36th in points, was a six-time steals champion, five-time assists champion, a nine-time All-Defensive team pick, 11-time All-NBA selection and was part of the NBA’s 75th anniversary team.

He’s one of six players in NBA history to have reached $400 million in career earnings.

“I’ve been playing basketball since I was 4 years old, and there’s nothing other than my family that brings me more joy than the hard work and all that stuff that goes into it,” he said in 2024. “Yeah, that’s why we get to play a child’s game and say it’s my way of life.”

Paul became arguably the most accomplished player in Clippers franchise history while leading the team to six winning seasons from 2011-17, including the Clippers’ first two Pacific Division titles and three playoff series victories. Paul returned to Los Angeles as a free agent last July, rejoining a franchise where he is loved by fans — but it went bad quickly, and Paul’s last game with the Clippers was Dec. 1.

It turned out to be his last NBA game, period.

“While this chapter of being an ‘NBA player’ is done, the game of basketball will forever be engrained in the DNA of my life, spanning three decades,” Paul wrote. “It’s crazy even saying that!! Playing basketball for a living has been an unbelievable blessing that also came with lost of responsibility. I embraced it all.”

Paul is one of seven players to have an NBA career span at least 21 seasons. And he’s already in the Hall of Fame: the 2008 Olympic ‘Redeem Team’ was enshrined as part of the 2025 class. It won’t be long before he goes in on his own as well.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

Lloyds Banking Group has announced plans to close an additional 95 branches across the UK

Eight Welsh banks have announced plans to close as a major banking giant prepares to massively shrink its presence on the high street – use our map to check if any branches near you will shut. Lloyds Banking Group has announced plans to close an additional 95 branches across the UK, affecting customers of Lloyds Bank, Halifax, and Bank of Scotland.

The group revealed that 53 Lloyds branches, 31 Halifax sites, and 11 Bank of Scotland locations are set to close under the newly announced scheme. The closures are slated to take place between May 2026 and March 2027.

In Wales, five Lloyds and three Halifax branches are due to close, starting with the loss of Halifax Cwmbran on June 2, followed by the Lloyds in Victoria Park, Cardiff the next day. All except one of the Welsh banks are due to shut by early July.

The exception is the Lloyds in Market Street, Ebbw Vale, which will remain open until March 2027.

Lloyds is currently implementing previously prepared plans to close 49 branches nationwide by October.

This follows the group’s January 2021 announcement that it would close 136 branches by March 2026.

Once all previously announced closures have been carried out, the banking group will be left with a network of 610 branches.

Use this map to see the closures near you:

NatWest also recently announced the closures of 32 branches, but none of those affect Wales.

Since February 2022, when all major banking groups committed to a voluntary agreement to assess the impact of each closure, a total of 2,236 branches have either shut down or announced plans to close.

That’s an average of at least one closure per day, or eight per week. The list includes 139 Welsh banks that have either shut are scheduled to close.

The LINK initiative was established to scrutinise each closure and ensure that vulnerable customers and small businesses were not left behind in the transition to cashless payments and virtual banking.

When closures leave communities without any local bank, banking hubs or free ATMs are set up to fill the gap.

Nick Quin, chief corporate affairs officer at LINK, said: “While more people choose to use contactless and digital payments, there are still millions who rely on and prefer to pay using cash. Alongside ATMs and Post Offices, banking hubs continue to help people and businesses to readily access and deposit cash.

“We recommended a further 15 banking hubs yesterday which will play a part in supporting access to cash across the UK.” Make sure you never miss Wales’ biggest updates by getting our daily newsletter

Gareth Oakley, CEO at Cash Access UK, said: “We’re delighted to see the difference that banking hubs have made for communities across the UK. It’s a clear reminder that while more people are choosing to bank digitally, cash and face-to-face services still remain essential for many.

“We have opened 212 hubs to date and are excited to continue rolling out these services in the communities that need them most.

“Customers can visit the hubs any day of the week for their everyday banking transactions, and if you have a specific or more complex enquiry for your bank, a community banker will be there to help on the day they’re in the hub.”

Welsh banks scheduled to close

• Halifax – Cwmbran
• Lloyds Bank – Cardiff – Victoria Park – Cowbridge Road East
• Halifax – Bridgend
• Halifax – Cardiff – Roath
• Lloyds Bank – Llangefni
• Lloyds Bank – Aberdare
• Lloyds Bank – Swansea – Winch Wen – Carmel Road
• Lloyds Bank – Ebbw vale

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Kelvin Ndoro tricked his victim into thinking he was a taxi driver before he sexually assaulted her in a Lidl car park in the early hours of the morning

A sex offender who tricked a woman into believing he was a taxi driver before assaulting her has been sentenced to prison.

Kelvin Ndoro approached his victim as she was walking home from a night out, claiming that the VW Golf he was driving was a taxi. The woman, in her 20s, got into the front passenger seat in the early hours of 18 May last year.

However, instead of taking her home, Ndoro drove to a Lidl supermarket car park in the Midlands and sexually assaulted her. Ndoro, from Kings Street, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, pleaded guilty to sexual assault.

The 42 year old was sentenced to 15 months in prison at Nottingham Crown Court on Thursday, 5 February. The victim had been walking home from a night out in Nottingham when Ndoro pulled up next to her on South Sherwood Street.

He then drove in the opposite direction to her home, pulling into the car park of the Lidl on Mansfield Road. The perpetrator locked the doors and touched her leg before suggesting they move to the back of the car reports Birmingham Live.

Seeing this as an opportunity to escape, the victim agreed and managed to get out of the vehicle, according to Nottinghamshire Police. She then hid and later asked passers-by for help.

Ndoro was arrested the following day at Toddington Services, on the M1 in Bedfordshire.

Detective Constable Rebecca Walker, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “This must have been a terrifying experience for the young woman and we know it has had a lasting psychological impact upon her.

“The victim’s quick thinking allowed her to escape from the car having been duped into getting into it simply to get home from a night out. Ndoro’s behaviour was predatory and officers worked quickly to identify his vehicle, trace it and arrest him.

“We then built a strong case against him, whilst supporting the victim, leaving Ndoro with no option but to admit what he had done.”

The convict was also placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years.

Richard Caulkin, 44, and his wife Wendy, 46, both received lifesaving organ transplants before they met at the British Transplant games in 2013.

Last month was their 10th wedding anniversary – a milestone they celebrated at home after receiving the news that Wendy’s kidneys were failing.

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The condition is a side effect of the immunosuppressant medication she takes to protect her transplanted heart, which she received in 2011.

She is now about to begin dialysis and urgently needs a kidney transplant.

Speaking about this, Wendy, who has been a cardiac nurse for York Hospital for the last two years, said: “I don’t have a living kidney donor, so I have to go on the waiting list for a deceased donor, which relies on others registering their decision to donate and discussing it with their families.”  

“I’ve been through one transplant, but this one’s different because now I’ve had a taste of life and I’ve been living it to the fullest.” – Wendy (Image: Supplied)

This Valentine’s Day marks 15 years since Wendy was initially assessed and added to the urgent transplant list.

It came eight years after Wendy, then just 23, was diagnosed with post-partum cardiomyopathy after giving birth to her son Joshua.

Speaking to The Press in October 2025, Wendy said: “I had all the symptoms of heart failure; I couldn’t eat properly and grew steadily weaker.”

In and out of the hospital every few months, Wendy’s condition further deteriorated after she went into cardiac arrest during surgery.

She explained: “I suffered memory loss and doctors told my family that I would be unlikely to walk out of hospital again.

“I defied these odds and continued to remain positive – I was a single mum trying to juggle this disease as best I could.”

The pair, who met at the World Transplant Games, have travelled the world together (Image: Supplied)

Richard received a double-lung transplant in 2009.

Having been born with cystic fibrosis, and despite having good health in childhood, his health deteriorated in 2005 while at university.

Four years later, his lung function was at five per cent.

‘I was on borrowed time’

He lived tethered to oxygen and CPAP machines, enduring nine “false alarm” transplant calls and a three-year wait for new lungs.

He explained: “The transplant came just in time.

“My surgeon later said that with the state of my old lungs they would probably have packed up altogether after a couple more weeks, so I was on borrowed time. 

“Being wheeled down to theatre I remember thinking about my donor and their family.

“I woke from surgery not having to fight for every breath for the first time in years.” 

“We never expected to be in the position of needing to wait for a new transplant again” – Richard (Image: Supplied)

Reflecting on his wife’s current battle, Richard said: “To see how much she’s declined in the last year is quite scary.

“As well as the restriction on what we can do because of Wendy’s health, it’s also the uncertainty in terms of what’s going to happen longer term.

 “When you’ve got plans for the future you want to get on with life, but everything’s on pause again.”

‘We keep holding on to hope, because without hope there is nothing’

Wendy said that having to rely on somebody else to live had hit her hard.

She explained: “I’ve been through one transplant, but this one’s different because now I’ve had a taste of life and I’ve been living it to the fullest.

“We are trying to look at things positively and remain positive throughout it all.

“We keep holding on to hope, because without hope there is nothing.”

As they endure the agonising wait for a kidney for Wendy, the couple are raising awareness of the importance of organ donation.

Wendy has worked as a cardiac nurse for York Hospital for two years (Image: Supplied)

Wendy said: “There are more people needing an organ than there are donors and the statistics show you’re more likely to need a transplant than you are to actually become an organ donor.

“’Thank you’ is insufficient for the decade of life together our donors have granted us so far. We carry you in every breath Richard takes and every beat of my heart.

“If you haven’t yet, please register as an organ donor this Valentine’s Day—and just as importantly, talk to your family about your wishes. That one choice has the potential to create a future you’ll never see — but one that means everything to someone else”.

The UK transplant waiting list has reached record levels, with more than 8,200 people currently waiting for a lifesaving transplant.

To confirm your support for organ donation, please visit www.organdonation.nhs.uk, call 0300 123 23 23 or use the NHS app.

The UK Health Security Agency has issued a new alert warning that raw pet food products can harbour harmful bacteria

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The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued a fresh online warning alerting pet owners that certain products could contain ‘harmful bacteria’. Owners are being advised to maintain proper hygiene practices and exercise caution when handling these items to prevent a range of unpleasant symptoms.

The Government body posted on X with information relevant to Britain’s estimated 13 million dog owners: “The Food Standards Agency [FSA] (@foodgov) is reminding people to take care when handling raw pet food, following a survey that found some products can contain harmful bacteria that could make pets and their owners ill.”

The post also featured guidance from Gauri Godbole, Deputy Director specialising in Gastronintestinal Infections, Food Safety and One Health at UKHSA, who stated: “Raw pet food products can carry harmful bacteria such as Salmonella and Campylobacter, which can cause diarrhoea, stomach cramps and sometimes vomiting and fever.”

She added: “To reduce the risk of illness, pet owners should wash their hands thoroughly after handling raw pet food, clean and disinfect bowls, utensils and surfaces, store raw pet food separately from food for people and ensure good hygienic practices for handling of pet faeces.”

Raw pet food generally comprises unprocessed or uncooked meat, offal, and raw bones, encompassing both wet and dried products such as chews. This meat is usually sourced from animal by-products initially designated for human consumption but subsequently reclassified as suitable only for pet food, reports the Mirror.

The FSA conducted a comprehensive survey of 380 raw dog and cat food products purchased from shops and online retailers between March 2023 and February 2024. The findings were then examined by the UKHSA to gain deeper insight into the bacterial hazards these products may present.

The analysis revealed that 35% harboured dangerous bacteria, including Salmonella, Campylobacter and E. coli – pathogens known to cause human illness. Additionally, 29% fell short of meeting UK legal safety requirements.

These dangers stem primarily from raw food’s increased susceptibility to bacterial contamination that would typically be destroyed through cooking. Specialists have even warned that handling pet food or contact with pets themselves could facilitate the transmission of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Stephen Wyllie, Veterinary Head of One Health at the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), commented: “APHA is a world leader on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in animals, carrying out vital research to reduce the spread of AMR.”

He continued: “Today’s report is a reminder that raw pet food can carry harmful bacteria that pose a risk to animal health. Pet owners should handle raw pet food in the same way as they would raw meat to avoid food-borne infections and increased risk of antimicrobial resistance spreading between pets.”

The FSA is collaborating with local authorities to ensure feed businesses understand their responsibilities regarding pet food safety, whilst reinforcing guidance for pet owners on the proper handling of raw pet food. Pet owners concerned about potential hazards to their animals are advised to seek veterinary advice to identify appropriate feeding alternatives.

Rick Mumford, Interim Chief Scientific Adviser for the FSA, commented: “We know that many pet owners choose raw pet food. This survey shows that these products can pose risks to human and animal health.”

He continued: “Good hygiene practices and safe handling can help reduce the risks to you and your family. Follow the same hygiene principles you would when preparing food for the humans in your life; washing hands thoroughly with soap and water, cleaning all surfaces, and storing and defrosting pet food and treats away from human food.”

Mr Mumford added: “Detailed information on the safe handling of raw pet food can be found on the FSA’s dedicated raw pet food guidance page.”

Members of the authority voted in favour of a 4.99 per cent increase at a full council meeting at County Hall in Northallerton today while agreeing the budget for 2026/27.

Deputy leader Gareth Dadd, executive member for finance and resources, told colleagues nobody in the council chamber wanted to make the above-inflation rise.

But he added: : “We’re not living in a world of unicorns and rainbows. We’re living in the real world and you can only play with the cards you’re dealt.”

The Conservative-led administration faced criticism from opposition councillors over the increase and details within the budget.

Councillor Kevin Foster, leader of the Green Party and Independents, said his group would not support the budget because of a “double-whammy” of a high council tax rise and a 4.8 per cent increase in council house rents.

He added: “At a time when many of our tenants are already struggling with the cost of living, rising food prices, energy bills and everyday essentials, a rent increase of this scale sends the wrong message.

“These are not abstract figures in a report; this is real money being taken from people who often have the least capacity to absorb extra costs.”

Liberal Democrat councillor Matt Walker said the budget included a £1.1m upgrade to council-owned Filey Brigg Caravan and Camping Site but a £500,000 cut to disabled children’s services and £50,000 removed from public health community involvement.

He also noted that the council was stopping providing Christmas trees and hanging baskets in the former Harrogate and Scarborough districts, and discontinuing free newspapers in libraries.

He added: “We were promised that local government reorganisation would deliver efficiencies, but today’s budget proves the opposite —
record‑high council tax, shrinking services, heritage stripped back, children’s services under pressure, voluntary groups cut, toilets in chaos, libraries losing access, and high streets paying more to park.

“I cannot support a budget that prioritises caravans over children, glamping sites over community spirit, and higher taxes for diminishing returns.”

In response, Cllr Dadd said it was “pretty insulting to suggest that us around this table and on this side of the chamber have turned our back on vulnerable people and people in need”.

He added: “Everything we’ve done over the last four or five years, and in fact before that, as a county councillor, has been prioritising those at what the layman would call bottom of the pile, those in need, those vulnerable people.

“There’s nothing in it for us politically, as you will know, but we’ve done it because it’s the right thing to do, and as long as I’m here we’ll continue to do it.

“We have a council tax reduction scheme that reflects that, we have a household support fund that reflects that and, dare I say it, the home-to-school transport changes reflected that as well. I’m very proud to stand here and propose this budget.”

Senior councillors have blamed the government’s recent fair funding settlement — dubbed by Cllr Dadd as the “unfair settlement” — for the need to increase council tax by the maximum allowed without triggering a referendum.

The council tax rise equates to an increase of £96.78 per year for an average Band D property to a total bill of £2,036.32.

A 32-year-old man will appear at Belfast Magistrates’ Court on Saturday

A man has been charged with murder following the death of a man in South Belfast on Wednesday.

A 32-year-old man will appear at Belfast Magistrates’ Court on Saturday, February 14, charged with the murder of a 33-year-old following an incident on Cromwell Road on Wednesday, February 11.

The 32-year-old had been arrested following the incident with police launching a murder investigation earlier today.

READ MORE: Murder investigation launched after man dies in South BelfastREAD MORE: Police given more time to question man over Belfast sudden death

Officer were called to the Cromwell Road area on Wednesday, following reports of a concern for safety, with a 33-year-old man later being taken to hospital where he died.

A PSNI spokesperson said: “Detectives from the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Major Investigation Team investigating the murder of a man in south Belfast on Wednesday 11th February have charged a man to court.

“The 32-year-old is charged with murder. “He is expected to appear before Belfast Magistrates Court tomorrow, Saturday 14th February. “As is usual procedure, all charges will be reviewed by the Public Prosecution Service.”

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