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Original poster

Does a state pension pass to spouse??

106 replies

Galaxygirl93 · 09/10/2022 10:10

I have recently lost my father this week, he was 61. My mother is 60. She is a house wife, my father worked his whole life.

They have been married for 35 years, can anyone let me know if she can claim his state pension- she will be stuck financially if not.

I don't know what to do.

OP posts:
Paq · 09/10/2022 10:12

A state pension doesn't pass to a spouse but she will be entitled to something in her own right.

TheFlis12345 · 09/10/2022 10:13

She should get some of it but the amounts depends on lots of different things.

BestIsWest · 09/10/2022 10:13

You can check your state pension here www.gov.uk/check-state-pension

Paq · 09/10/2022 10:14

This is the page you need. www.gov.uk/state-pension/eligibility

You will get a lot of posters asking why she didn't work once her children were older.

AriettyHomily · 09/10/2022 10:14

No. Has she paid NI for her own pension?

rattlemehearties · 09/10/2022 10:14

She should also be claiming her own state pension in a few years. His workplace pension would probably transfer to her. If she's now living alone make sure she claims the single resident discount on council tax.

SudocremOnEverything · 09/10/2022 10:15

She’ll need to claim benefits for herself. You apply for universal credit online. Citizens advice might be able to advise on what exactly she would be entitled to so you can help her with this stuff.

Rushingfool · 09/10/2022 10:17

Is she working? If so then she will be paying NI towards her own pension. She can check how many years she's paid in online.

TidyDancer · 09/10/2022 10:19

As others have said, she won't be entitled to his state pension but she will be able to claim her own (and maybe pension credit) providing she has paid enough NI. Do you know if she's up to date on this?

She might also be entitled to other payments. Is she working at all and/or paying into a private pension herself?

Original poster
Galaxygirl93 · 09/10/2022 10:21

No my mother has not been working, she did work between 2011-2014 but had a major blood clot in her leg, and then her health hasn't been great in the recent years.

If someone has not made their own National Insurance payments, what happens to them over retirement age?

OP posts:
WeepingSomnambulist · 09/10/2022 10:21

I'm so sorry for your loss OP, and it must be so hard to have to get straight onto sorting out these things. I hope you're taking some time for yourself too.

Didnt she pay national insurance to protect her own state pension? You dont have to be working to pay that, you can make voluntary payments to ensure you get a pension even away a housewife.

His privatet/employer pension should pass to her.

They both obviously knew that it was possible he could die young or before her so they must have planned for it. She is in the early stages of grief and probably barely coping but once the initial haze starts to clear, she'll hopefully remember what was set up for this eventuality.

shiningstar2 · 09/10/2022 10:21

If he has a workplace pension a percentage of that will pass to her. These scenes vary a lot so you/she will need to look into how much she is entitled to if she has one. If she hasn't worked she will be entitled to some state pension based on his contributions I think. Also she gets what used to be called national insurance 'stamps' for the years she was at home while her children were young so she should be entitled to a reduced state pension in her own right. Of course neither your dad or her are at state pension age at the moment so not sure what benefits she would be entitled to until she reaches state benefit age. Sorry for your loss op. 💐

shiningstar2 · 09/10/2022 10:21

Pensions ...not scenes. 😁

Original poster
Galaxygirl93 · 09/10/2022 10:25

Not too sure of pension arrangements to be honest, my father had been agency driving and self employed for the last 5 or so years, with the help of an accountant.

OP posts:
DoingJustFine · 09/10/2022 10:26

My mum had a state pension, but it was small because she didn't work for very long. I think she was getting around £90 a week. Dad died this summer 😞 and mum's state pension has now almost doubled. Ring the DWP. It honestly doesn't take long to sort out and any payments will be backdated to the day of the death.

Chewbecca · 09/10/2022 10:28

Sorry for your loss.

Was your Dad still working? His SP wouldn't have been in payment yet.
What sort of workplace was it?
Things to check

  • Dad's workplace pension (which likely will pass to her, depending on the individual scheme's rules)
  • any death in service payment from your Dad's workplace
  • life insurance policies (possibly linked to mortgage current or past but could be any). You should be able to find the regular payments on bank statements as a starting point.

If your mum has not paid NI or claimed any credits, she will have no SP and SP is individual. You can check fairly easily on gov.uk. She may be entitled to UC now and pension credits later - check online for these. If her health is poor, she can apply for PIP too. She is still of working age (if 60 now, pension age is 67) so it is not pension related benefits you're looking at.

All the best.

SalesMum · 09/10/2022 10:28

In sorry for your loss

www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/pensions-and-retirement/state-pension/voluntary-national-insurance-contributions-and-the-state-pension#

This website is really helpful

Hope your mum gets some advice

Did your dad have a decent private pension? Have they already tapped into that?

RosesAndHellebores · 09/10/2022 10:28

I am sorry for your loss.

She will receive a state pension from 67. It will be reduced due to her not working. She is likely to receive about half of your father's pension. It may be enhanced a little due to death in service benefits. If your father is in a public sector scheme there is likely to be a death in service benefit. Teachers Pensions and LGPS is three times salary. Can't comment about other pensions. Did he have any life insurance?

I cannot comment about potential benefits.

Discovereads · 09/10/2022 10:29

Once at state pension age, 67, she can get pension credit to top up her state pension if it is zero or below a minimum. It isn’t much though.

SuperCamp · 09/10/2022 10:31

So sorry, OP, what a shock.

Firstly check all your Dad’s policies. Did he have life insurance? Any work related benefits (‘death in service’ for example), and find out about his pension. Did he have a work pension? Private pension?

Your Mum might be eligible for Widows benefit, not sure about that.

Do they have savings?

If not she will be entitled to UC as said by a PP.

Once she reaches state retirement age , if she has not sufficient from your father’s pension she will receive pension credit, and housing benefit if renting.

At her age she won’t reach state retirement age til 67 anyway.

freyamay74 · 09/10/2022 10:33

• Dad's workplace pension (which likely will pass to her, depending on the individual scheme's rules) - yes, check this out, but remember it will be a percentage of his pension, not the whole thing! Sadly too many women still believe they'll be ok in their older age because their dh has a good occupational pension or is fully paid up for the state pension.

There's really no substitute for having a pension in your own name- ideally an occupational one because then the employer is whacking a load of money in as well as your own contributions. Failing that, at least a private pension of your own.

I realise this advice is too late for the OP's mum but important to highlight it. I still come across women who work part time or not at all who really haven't thought through the long term impact.

VampireCat · 09/10/2022 10:34

As others have said neither of them are/were state pension age yet so you’ll need to look at your fathers private pension provision and/or universal credit for your mother at this stage. Could she work part time if she can’t manage full time?

watcherintherye · 09/10/2022 10:37

They both obviously knew that it was possible he could die young or before her so they must have planned for it. She is in the early stages of grief and probably barely coping but once the initial haze starts to clear, she'll hopefully remember what was set up for this eventuality.

Is this some kind of stealth dig? Not everyone is able to have their life mapped out and all bases covered.

GetOffTheRoof · 09/10/2022 10:39

Your mum isn't of pension age, so is she currently in receipt of any benefits?

Do they rent or own their home? If will affect her entitlements.

Has she been in receipt of things like child benefit for 30 years? She might be eligible for some credits via your dad's NI payments though: www.gov.uk/state-pension/inheritance-spouse-civil-partner.

You'll need to find out her pension eligibility - she can contact them here: www.gov.uk/contact-pension-service

Have a look at www.entitledto.co.uk/ for some guidance on wider benefits. She may be entitled to PIP housing benefit, universal credit or ESA.

Also, right now she's entitled to a bereavement support payment which will help a bit: www.gov.uk/bereavement-support-payment

Definitely look at jobs he's has an pensions he might have had. Same for any life insurance policies - linked to his bank account, work, trade union membership, workplace coverage - there's all sorts out there.

I'm so sorry you've lost your Dad.

GetOffTheRoof · 09/10/2022 10:42

OMG it's wrecked all the links I put in!
Bereavement Support Payment: www.gov.uk/Bereavement-Support-Payment

Contact the government Pension support team: www.gov.uk/contact-pension-service

What happens if you've not got enough NI credits: www.turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-guides/Basic-State-Pension/What-if-I-don-t-qualify