Does anybody know about additional state pension and retirement benefit.

After contacting my bank pension scheme I have found I was contracted in for just over 4 years of my working life which means I am entitled to some additional state pension.
I have still not received a reply from the Department of Work and pensions.
Even though we worked for the same bank we were in different divisions at the start and as a consequence our pensions are slightly different.

Frank

Don't be daft - we understand!

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

Galen - of course you would!

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!

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

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

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.

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!

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

And you, Frank, are impertinent

Galen

You are rich.

Frank

Four!

Make that three of us!

...or me ....

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

Frank Try the DWP website

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

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!

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