Parents' state pensions - born in '40 and '46.

Not all private pensions provide a widow's pension. You usually have to opt in to get it. I think this is particularly true with modern personal pensions.

In the past, I helped a number of women whose comfortable lifesyle was based on their husband's substantial occupational pension, which disappeared completely when he died.

I am widowed, born 1948, had separate NI contributions and my total with basic state pension plus a few add-ons is £291 a week.

Birthto110 the half pension thought might be if your dad has a private pension, they usually provide half to a widow. Re state pension only a few £ was added on to my pension when I was widowed

As above. I was born in ‘48 and DH was in ‘44. When he died, I as given what is now £199 and a few pence per week. My own pension was negligible and stopped.

I was born in 1948. I only paid the married woman’s NI contribution so my state pension in my own right is small as I only get a percentage of the full amount which my husband gets. However, if he dies before me I will inherit his full state pension instead of my part pension. Had I been born a few years later I wouldn’t have been eligible to inherit his full pension as the rules changed.

It’s all spelled out clearly online somewhere and if I can find it I’ll post it.

Oreo

I don’t think my Mum received any more State pension after Dad died, just carried on drawing her own.I guess if no other pension or only small savings then pension credit would be given.
Worth finding out.

My Mum didn't either.
Perhaps it was a case of if you don't ask you won't receive anything.

www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/benefits/benefits-in-later-life/state-pension-death-benefits#:~:text=You%20may%20be%20able%20to%20inherit%20or%20increase%20your%20State,you%20reach%20State%20Pension%20age.
This might explain it.

rafichagran

I may be wrong and I am sure someone will correct me if I am, but I don't think you can get s pension forcast after you get your state pension.

You can go on to the Government Gateway site and it will give a breakdown of your NI contributions over the years but not a breakdown of your pension.

When you receive the annual letter informing you of your pension for the next year, that gives a breakdown of how it is calculated.

I'm amazed at the sums some people are receiving in state pension. I was only a few years short of the 39 years required for a full pension but mine is far less than many quoted on threads.

^Breakdown as follows £169.50 basic state pension,
then in addition £124.28 (this is £160.88 pre 97 additional state pension minus £36.60 contracted out deduction)
plus £3.77 graduated retirement benefit plus £0.25 age additional benefit.^
Total £297.80
That does sound like a full pension, Croatia1.
Mine is only just over half that and I worked for many years. 🤔

I don’t think my Mum received any more State pension after Dad died, just carried on drawing her own.I guess if no other pension or only small savings then pension credit would be given.
Worth finding out.

I think that the main issue to sort out is whether they are receiving a married couple's pension, or separate State Pensions.
Women have always had the right to pay into their own pension, but until 1978, married women could, if they wished, pay a lower contribution and then be part of a 'couple's pension' or 'widow's pension'.
You should be able to find this on the form that is sent out, but otherwise, contact the helpline. Once you have that information, you can look at how it would work.
If need be, ask CAB, Turn2Us or any other local agency that helps with pensions and benefits.

Birthto110 Here is a link to a useful table provided by the government. Looking at it, it suggests that your mother could inherit 80-100% of her husband's pension.
www.gov.uk/additional-state-pension/inheriting

Are either of your parents disabled in any way. Can they walk around without fear of falling? have they fallen over? do they use a stick, can they easily and comfortably get in and out of bed, as you do, or does it require time and planning.

Any of these problems and others could potentially mean they would qualify for Attendance Allowance. This means they would also get an enhanced rate of Pension Credit, even if they do not already qualify for it.

My ex husband paid the 'married man's' National Insurance contribution while we were married and I was entitled to my share of that to add to my pension. I had also paid full 'stamp' myself so fortunately do have a full pension. If your mother is in any doubt about her entitlement, she would get good advice from CAB or Age UK

It's so complex - needlessly so!

www.gov.uk/reduced-national-insurance-married-women

That's only one possibly relevant link - but they don't make it easy or easy to check that their calculations are correct when the time comes .....

Georgesgran - only £8 per week extra -as you say a fraction. How can that be? It's next to nothing. It used to be quite different . Right going to research a bit more on the Govt sites.... Must be an age thing when it became more expected that spouses would have their own full pension record and no care gaps. In reality many women in particular still have care gaps for children and elderly relatives and propping up family businesses etc - or a host of other things that go on in typical family lives including being there for family illnesses etc - but they don't seem to take anything into account like that.

I think it differs considerably with ages - my DH died in 2021, a few months after his 70th birthday. I was awarded an extra £8 a week - a fraction of his DWP.
My new amount from April is £191 a week. (Thankfully, there are private pensions, so I’m more than comfortable).

I may be wrong and I am sure someone will correct me if I am, but I don't think you can get s pension forcast after you get your state pension.

Thanks everyone. I will keep researching and keep telling mum to get a pension forecast but it's hard as our dad (we all get on very very well !!) doesn't want interference and has always maintained their independence - but feel sure mum worries a lot and especially as time goes by. Feel sure they're potentially missing out too - and that mum should be getting a better pension than she is herself. She missed out on Home responsibilities protection due to timings and changes in govt legislation and so on.....but feel sure she should be getting more. They are very frugal and used to being on a very low income, no help etc but have their own home and scraped by all their lives .

birthto110 having savings does not necessarily preclude your mother from receiving Pension Credit. It depends how much her savings are.

The best thing to do, when she reaches the situation, should you father die, is to apply for Pension Credit anyway, and if she doesn't qualify, they will tell you so. Better that than missout on extra income she could be entitled to.

Breakdown as follows £169.50 basic state pension,
then in addition £124.28 (this is £160.88 pre 97 additional state pension minus £36.60 contracted out deduction)
plus £3.77 graduated retirement benefit plus £0.25 age additional benefit.
Total £297.80
Try googling additional state pension and looking at the gov.com website. Judging by the years of your parents birth they should be eligible. I presume my mother in law was only receiving the standard pension rate prior to father in law's death. She is fortunate to also have inherited half his civil service pension too.

I've just checked she currently gets £297.80 per week in state pension now (this is not pension credit or anything). I'll try to find a breakdown of it

I'm sorry I can't help specifically with the dates you have provided. I do know however when my father in law died 10 years ago, my mother in law's state pension increased (a lot). They were born in 1935 and 1938. I can't remember specifics but her state pension is now over £220 per week