State Pension - surprise increase

Granny23, nice surprise for you.
I have kept an article from the SAGA magazine, from long ago and it has this information:-
The rules changed in 2002, before this, widows inherited all their kate husband's SERPS.
Now, (unless it has changed again), the amount if SERPS that can be inherited, depends on her husband's date of birth.

5 October 1937, or before =100%
6 October 1937 to 5 October 1939 = 90%
6 October 1939 to 5 October 1941 = 80%
6 October 1941 to 5 October 1943 = 70%
6 October 1943 to 5 October 1945 = 60%
6 October 1945 and after = 50%

Such a lot of fraud (sometimes unintentional) goes on. My DGM and GF (both 2nd marriage) ended up in separate care homes. He died first and his insurance company visited the home to ask a member of staff to sign to say he had indeed died, so they could pass his insurance money to his daughter. The Manager said she couldn’t sign anything but anyway his widow was alive and kicking in a separate establishment! My DM asked what would have happened had his DD inherited and was told the Insurance would have to pay out twice, as they hadn’t done a proper check.

I think the increase in DWP to the OP used to be known as a widow’s pension - my SIL was very surprised to get that after her DH died. Thankfully that name’s been dropped.

It's a nightmare admin time Granny23. I remember one bank insisting in having a letter from my deceased Dad before they would close his account. We were advised by the funeral director to get as many copies of the death certificate as possible as so many organisations and businesses would need them. I hope you have someone helping you out with it all.

Thank you all for your condolences and much useful information. Yes we (DDs and I) filled in the Tell us Once Form' and are now swamped with requests for Death Certificates, copies of his will, etc. It is a nightmare and due to Covid has to be done on-line or by registered post. I can't believe the palaver that his 2 (very small) private pensions caused. Do they really think that someone is liable to fraudulently claim that a policy holder is deceased and thereby stop the payments?

You do get a proportion of your husband's SERPs/SSP, I think it's half. At least you know how the money is worked out. I was widowed before I reached pension age and they did not explain how much of my pension was from my husband's contribution and how much from my SERPS/graduated pension etc. I have three separate small amounts and it does not state which is from my contributions and which from my husband's - the total is much less than yours.

I didn’t have to claim or do anything about the SP when mu H died, it was all done automatically.
In many areas now a system operates called Tell Us Once.
When you register the death you are given a form to fill in, I think I may have done it online, but can’t remember.
You tick all the boxes relevant to you and submit it and all the agencies like pensions, HMRC, passport office,DVLC etc are notified and they swing into action.
I found it very efficient.
Just accept the extra pension Granny23 it is probably your due.
You are entitled to half of part of H’s pension called some thing like extra pension, probably to do with SERPS.

So sorry to hear your husband has died Granny23 you have my sympathy
I'm not sure about the pension thing but double check just to put your mind at rest.

I wouldn't even question it as many of us have been shortchanged in our pensions over the years. I hadn't known that you can claim on your late husband's pension so have missed out on quite a lot.

Pensions changed about 5 years ago but in many cases it still doesn't compensate for the huge amount that is owed.

Sorry for your loss Granny23 and I do understand your concerns regarding the extra payment to your own State Pension; mistakes have been made many times and people have had to pay it back.

As a suggestion, why not write to them to check again that it's correct and while you wait for their reply, which no doubt will take weeks, put that extra money aside? When you know for sure that it's yours to keep.........enjoy it.

Stay safe.

Granny23 I'm very sorry to hear that your husband has died

My friend gets a similar extra amount - she says it's a portion of her late husband's SERPS contributions.

Please accept my condolences Granny23

It may well be half of the SSP/SERPS part of his pension which you became entitled to after his death. Try ringing them up and asking if that’s the case to put your mind at rest.

I don’t know exactly how it is worked out but it is likely to be correct, Granny23.
www.gov.uk/death-spouse-benefits-tax-pension/pensions

Granny23 I'm so sorry to hear about your husband. I do remember that he was in a care home but hadn't realised that he had been so ill.

I also got an increase of a similar amount when DH died 2 yrs ago it was a massive surprise to me. If I remember rightly it was based on his contributions I never did really understand it but I’m still getting so I assume it wasn’t a mistake.