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Legal, pensions and money

Does anybody know about additional state pension and retirement benefit.

(28 Posts)
HUNTERF Sat 08-Jun-13 17:02:32

I started work in 1970 and finished in 2008. My working life consisted of 33 years for a London bank and 5 years for a council.
2 people I worked with worked at the bank did the same number of years for the same bank and then worked for about the same time for different councils.
We have all got a pension forecast recently and their statements show they are just entitled to the basic state pension although mine is showing I am entitled to an extra £20.85 a week additional state pension and graduated retirement benefit.
I have queried this with the Department of Work and Pensions and have not had a reply in spite of me chasing them 3 times. I first queried it 3 months ago.
Can anybody hazard a guess why I would be entitled to this extra £20.85.
The only difference I can think of is I am widowed where as they are still married to their first wives in both cases.
I am happy to take the money but I don't want them to ask for it back if they find the payments are incorrect after say 10 years,

Frank

janeainsworth Sat 08-Jun-13 17:10:06

Frank don't worry about it.
Read this
smile

HUNTERF Sat 08-Jun-13 17:19:53

Hi janeainsworth

Thanks for your reply.
I have read that and can not see from that how I am different to my 2 friends.
Really I would like to get an answer.

Oddly enough my father was in the RAF for 5 years and got a small pension which was transferred his main pension just before retirement.
He could never understand why he was entitled to it as he could not remember paying any pension contributions in the RAF but he did get a letter insisting he was entitled to it after he queried it.

He lost contact with his mates in the RAF.

fRANK

janeainsworth Sat 08-Jun-13 17:34:52

Frank do you really know eaxctly what your friends' NI Contributions record has been for the last 40 years? perhaps they had some sick leave which affected their contributions or something.
Stop worrying about it, for goodness' sake, and let your friends sort their own problems out smile

Lilygran Sat 08-Jun-13 17:52:09

You may find that you don't actually get the additional amount of state pension you are entitled to because you have one or more occupational pensions that pay you more than the additional pension would be. It may be a notional additional pension!

Nelliemoser Sat 08-Jun-13 19:27:30

Frank Try the DWP website

https://www.gov.uk/additional-state-pension/overview

annsixty Sat 08-Jun-13 20:36:53

Frank If that was all I had to worry about I would be one very happy woman.Spend, enjoy or just give to charity.

Tegan Sat 08-Jun-13 21:02:14

...or me wink....

annodomini Sat 08-Jun-13 21:06:06

Make that three of us!

Galen Sat 08-Jun-13 21:31:10

Four!

HUNTERF Sat 08-Jun-13 23:43:21

Galen

You are rich.

Frank

janeainsworth Sat 08-Jun-13 23:45:34

And you, Frank, are impertinent angry

annsixty Sun 09-Jun-13 09:45:59

Frank I think Galen was saying that like me she had more things to worry about than the Pension Service paying her too much.

HUNTERF Sun 09-Jun-13 19:36:08

annsixty

As I said I am happy to take the money.
What bothers me is if they come back saying they have overpaid me say 10 years later they the amount I could owe could be nearly £11,000.
I presume they will want it repaid under these circumstances.

Frank

HildaW Sun 09-Jun-13 19:42:29

As a huge fan of 'The Big Bang Theory' I find myself remembering the quips that are often fired at Sheldon. Poor old Leonard puts up with so much and says affectionately something along the lines of ....'It must be hell inside your head' when he is particularly exasperated with him. Just wondering if same applies here. wink

Ana Sun 09-Jun-13 19:45:51

Frank. If you're really that worried, phone the DWP. How do you expect us lot to know...? hmm

NfkDumpling Sun 09-Jun-13 19:49:20

Ana it constantly amazes me that there's one of us at least who knows the answer.

Granny23 Sun 09-Jun-13 20:18:34

Frank Jane's link does explain the position. The Key phrase is 'contracted out'. I presume that all three of you worked for the same bank and were all 'contracted out' meaning that you paid basic rate NI and your employer credited the earnings related element to your Bank Pension scheme. Then you worked for a different Council from the other two - they were contracted out by their Councils, whilst you were not. Your £20 per week sounds about right for 5 years worth of additional NI on a reasonable salary. I have £60.65 additional pension due to never having been contracted out, my DH has a tiny amount because he was mainly self-employed - additional NI only taken for a few years when he WAS an employee and my retired civil servant sister has none at all (but has a generous civil service pension to compensate) because she was contracted out her entire working life.

Once again I am amazed that you do not know how lucky you are - my DH worked for 52 years to your 38 and has a pittance of a pension compared with yours. envy

Ana Sun 09-Jun-13 20:24:29

NfkDumpling - yes, of course some GN members know about these things, but I meant we couldn't be expected to know the reason for Frank's apparently unexpected bonus pension payment! grin

HUNTERF Sun 09-Jun-13 21:28:40

Ana

The DWP keeps on promising to get back to me. I have phoned them 4 times.

Granny23.

I did pay a lot of AVC'S in to my pension scheme at the bank and paid all my bonuses in to the scheme.
I also paid a lot of my salary in to the pension scheme when I worked for the council.
My wife did the same.
Unfortunately some of the people I worked with did not pay in to the pension scheme and now resent the fact I have a reasonable occupational pension scheme which they do not have.

Frank.

glammanana Sun 09-Jun-13 21:30:50

Granny23 I bet your DH is a happy and contented man though ? smile

Granny23 Sun 09-Jun-13 22:01:04

Oh No! Glamma - since he retired, I'm afraid that I am married to Victor Meldrew grin

Galen Sun 09-Jun-13 22:31:20

I am NOT RICH I admit to being comfortable, but I afraid that being disabled is very expensive hobby. I have to pay for a lot of things that most people would normally do for themselves without even thinking about it!
I would happily exchange my money for a pain free and agile life!angry

Ana Sun 09-Jun-13 22:42:14

Galen - of course you would! flowers

Galen Sun 09-Jun-13 22:52:52

Sorry, didn't mean to moan but HunterF really annoyed me!