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Legal, pensions and money

Spouse's state pension on death-is spouse eligible for %, or not?

(46 Posts)
Cabbie21 Wed 24-Jan-24 22:49:02

Here is the link.
www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/married-women-missing-state-pension-boost/

Cabbie21 Wed 24-Jan-24 22:47:18

I think Martin Lewis highlighted serious errors to women’s pensions recently, but I don't have details.

Elusivebutterfly Wed 24-Jan-24 21:50:58

My DH died in 2009 and I retired in 2013. I get around £60 per month on top of my basic State Pension. Around half of this is due to my Graduated Pension /SSP and the rest from my DH. I was never able to work out what money came from where. Whichever, it is not much compensation for paying NI for around 45 years but dying before pension age.

petra Wed 24-Jan-24 21:34:54

Birthto110

It's complicated but also , more worryingly - not very transparent - and if there were mistakes or underpayments in state pension entitlement , people who never ever know.
The next scandal? Especially if worked out by some IT system.

Surely Govt need to provide a full workings out /full breakdown, to justify their monthly DWP sum into the bank account?

The next scandal is already being spoken about.

www.spectator.co.uk/article/theres-another-dodgy-data-scandal-brewing/

Birthto110 Wed 24-Jan-24 21:16:32

It's complicated but also , more worryingly - not very transparent - and if there were mistakes or underpayments in state pension entitlement , people who never ever know.
The next scandal? Especially if worked out by some IT system.

Surely Govt need to provide a full workings out /full breakdown, to justify their monthly DWP sum into the bank account?

Georgesgran Wed 24-Jan-24 21:02:17

Blimey 1summer. It is complicated, isn’t it?

Deedaa Wed 24-Jan-24 20:41:04

My pension went up when my husband died. I'd always thought I would be left with just the pension I already had, so that was a pleasant surprise. My husband worked for Waitrose until he retired and I was also surprised to find that I would get half his Waitrose pension after he died. I also inherited various benefits like the partner discount.

Casdon Wed 24-Jan-24 20:37:52

Birthto110

This is more complex than I thought and wonder if there are any errors sometimes. Seems all very odd and not very transparent to me. My father in law was born in 1935 and died in 2020. My mil seems to get almost 100 percent of his pension as far as I can tell , going to look into it in more detail. I am really confused. That's fine as long as no-one asks for it back. Is it an upgrade because of married women who only paid half stamp for some years?

It may well be correct because your father in law was already in receipt of his pension before the new state pension came in during 2016. It sounds like similar circumstances to annsixty.
Here’s an explanation which may help.
www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/benefits/benefits-in-later-life/state-pension-death-benefits

1summer Wed 24-Jan-24 20:31:01

Georgesgran

This is State Pension 1summer. Are you getting mixed up with your late DH’s occupational pension? Seems odd that our DH’s were roughly the same age and you’re getting nothing added onto your SP.

No I get 50% of his private pension. I think it’s because the rules changed in April 2016 and husband didn’t get state pension until October 2016. Those reaching retirement age after April 2016 and get flat rate pension, nothing can be inherited. But if you have an additional protected amount spouse can inherit a percentage.
It’s very complicated though.

Georgesgran Wed 24-Jan-24 18:58:47

This is State Pension 1summer. Are you getting mixed up with your late DH’s occupational pension? Seems odd that our DH’s were roughly the same age and you’re getting nothing added onto your SP.

Birthto110 Wed 24-Jan-24 18:47:34

This is more complex than I thought and wonder if there are any errors sometimes. Seems all very odd and not very transparent to me. My father in law was born in 1935 and died in 2020. My mil seems to get almost 100 percent of his pension as far as I can tell , going to look into it in more detail. I am really confused. That's fine as long as no-one asks for it back. Is it an upgrade because of married women who only paid half stamp for some years?

Casdon Wed 24-Jan-24 18:20:19

I think you’re right Alygran. I’m on the new state pension, my husband died in 2006, and I get £2.70 a week from his contributions. think it must be tapering depending on your age and the pension arrangement and contributions on death/retirement you, and your husband, were on.

Alygran Wed 24-Jan-24 18:04:51

The rules did change with the new state pension. My DH died in 2017 at the age of 64 and never received any SP. I got my state pension in 2021 at the age of 66. This is based entirely on my NI years.
I do have my own occupational pension and half of DH’s

annsixty Wed 24-Jan-24 17:21:29

I must consider myself very lucky it seems.

Whiff Wed 24-Jan-24 17:11:50

My husband was born in 1957 died in 2004 . We got married in 1981. I was born in 1958 and get my state pension April. I will get full state pension but I will only get 48p per week from my husband's 30 years of NI contributions.

1summer Wed 24-Jan-24 17:11:24

My husband died in 2022 aged 70. I was told I was not eligible for any of his pension.

Georgesgran Wed 24-Jan-24 16:39:38

Obviously things have changed My DH was born in 1950 and died in 2021 (aged 70). I got an extra £50 every 4 weeks on my SP, well under 10% of his.

annsixty Wed 24-Jan-24 16:11:12

Should add after reading Auntieflo’s answer my H died in 2019.

annsixty Wed 24-Jan-24 16:08:50

I can’t say what % of my H’s pension I inherited or really what it was made up of but I can say I was very pleasantly surprised just how much it was. Much more than I was expecting.
His Birth date was March 1936.
I am talking SP here,I also inherited 50% of his other pension from his job but I alway knew that was the case.

Auntieflo Wed 24-Jan-24 15:51:13

If they died before 6 October 2002, you can inherit up to 100% of their SERPS pension. If they died on or after 6 October 2002, the maximum SERPS pension and State Pension top up you can inherit depends on their date of birth

This is what I found, and I understand that I would be able to inherit 90% of my DH Serps pension.
He was born in June 1939.
Please advise me if I am wrong.

Birthto110 Wed 24-Jan-24 15:31:54

I read another thread re SP which readers responded to and said that when spouse dies, 'It stops' , meaning the spouse is not eligible for any part of it. But my mum in law seems to get half her husband's now that he's died, is that right? Confused. Did the law change? I will look it up - but interested if people have insights.