DH's State Pension after Bereavement

[earlystreetlight]

Sadly my dear OH died in September. He was 56. I am also 56. I have just started to get my head round my new financial situation.

I am trying to work out if and how much I might inherit of my OH's State Pension. He had the full 35 years payments.Reading the Gov website It says a widow might inherit a portion of his 'protected payment' and then gives an explanation of what that is. I just can't get my head round it.

Is there a kind and clever person who can explain it in words of one syllable? And what I might be eligible to.

I mean what type of percentage I might be eligible to inherit if at all. Thank you in advance.

I’m sorry for your loss 😔

When the state pension rules changed in 2016, it was set that anyone who had started NI contributions before 2016 (like your husband) would get the higher of two sums:

• the new state pension calculation
• the old state pension calculation

If your husband would have been entitled to more under the old system, then that difference is called the “protected payment” - and still paid.

What you can inherit is 50% of that payment.

So for example:

• new £180
• old £200
• protected payment £20
• your inherited 50% is £10

He may not have been entitled to anything more under the old scheme than the new, especially if he was contracted out for some time.

I would call the governments Pensions Service for advice: 0800 731 0469

I’m sorry for your loss @earlystreetlight, I lost my Dad earlier this year and it’s very hard My Dad had only recently got to pension age when he died and had a few months of his State Pension. The payments of his State Pension stopped when he died. My Mum is having payments from a private pension he had paid into and received a Bereavement Support Payment from the government which gave her a small lump sum and then monthly payments of £100 for 18 months. You qualify for this if you are under State Pension age yourself. I believe the lump sum and monthly payments are more if there are dependents under 18. Sorry I can’t answer your original question but Citizens Advice might able to give you some information.