State Pensioners with families can boost their pension pot by up to £6,000 by making a simple check.

Pensioners who look after their grandchildren while their parents work can claim a financial reward from the government that could increase the amount of State Pension they receive.

If you care for a child age 12 or younger, you may be eligible to claim Designated Adult Child Care Credits. These loans work by transferring the weekly National Insurance credit a parent or carer receives to an eligible family member, such as a retired grandparent.

Credits can help you plug gaps in your National Insurance record, with credits awarded for each week or part of a week you provide care for a child.

National Insurance loans are important because you need at least 10 years worth to qualify for this loan. State Pensionand 35 years worth to receive the full amount.

The exact rate of the new tariff State Pension It is currently £221.20 per week, but the amount you receive may be different depending on the number of years you are eligible for National Insurance, whether you contracted before 2016 or have paid into Supplementary Insurance. State Pension Before 2016.

Each qualifying year added to your National Insurance record after 6 April 2016 increases your insurance premium. State Pension Up to full pay of £221.20 per week.

These loans could boost some people’s State Pensions by around £6,000 over the course of a typical retirement period, which is around 20 years, according to asset management company Quilter.

You can apply for loans that provide:

• You are an eligible family member providing care for a child under 12 years of age

• You were 16 or over, but State Pension The age at which you provide care to the child

• You are normally resident in the United Kingdom but not in the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man

• the child’s parent or primary carer has claimed Child Benefit but they do not need the credit

• the child’s parent or primary caregiver accepts your application

The child’s parent or primary caregiver must then sign the form to confirm that they agree that you provided care for their child for the specified period and that you can receive the credits.

You must wait until October 31, after the end of the tax year for which you wish to apply. This is because the government needs to check whether the parent or primary carer has a qualifying year for National Insurance.

Applications can be made online via GOV.UK.