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State pension for wife under pension age

Hi, can anyone clear this up, according to the Which! book "Money in retirement" p29, a man over pension age can claim for his wife who has not reached pension age (as a dependant). This might seem like a small point but if your wife is younger, as mine is, £49.15 a week is not an insignificant addition to your income. Unless I missunderstood, Martin seemed to imply a few weeks ago that you both needed to be over pension age to claim on the husband's contributions. To get this the book says the wife can't be earning but other than that, does anyone know if it is otherwise means tested.

Thanks

Steve

Comments

  • CIS
    CIS Posts: 12,260 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    There is a facility for a man to claim a dependents allowance for a wife under pension age under certain circumstances, it can be claimed using form BF225.

    Claiming a dependents increase is similar to claiming an increase for a wife's state pension on her husband pension contributions. More info can be found here - http://www.thepensionservice.gov.uk/pdf/np46/np46sept08.pdf
    I no longer work in Council Tax Recovery but instead work as a specialist Council Tax paralegal assisting landlords and Council Tax payers with council tax disputes and valuation tribunals. My views are my own reading of the law and you should always check with the local authority in question.
  • EdInvestor
    EdInvestor Posts: 15,749 Forumite
    The adult dependant's allowance will be dropped for anyone not already receiving it next year.
    Trying to keep it simple...;)
  • bryanb
    bryanb Posts: 5,034 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    edited 17 April 2009 at 1:33PM
    I claimed verbally on the pension service phone line, they sent a form to declare wife not earning above about £60 pw. Had to send her Birth cert & Marriage cert. The rate is higher now somewhere around £55 pw, paid to me with pension, and taxable as if my income. It will continue to be paid till she draws her pension or 2020 providing she doesn't exceed the earnings limit.
    This is an open forum, anyone can post and I just did !
  • EdInvestor wrote: »
    The adult dependant's allowance will be dropped for anyone not already receiving it next year.

    Thanks for that, looks as if I might have missed the boat then - not quite old enough yet - has this change been made public?
  • bryanb
    bryanb Posts: 5,034 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    stevebb wrote: »
    Thanks for that, looks as if I might have missed the boat then - not quite old enough yet - has this change been made public?

    Yes it was announced a few years back. You must be 65 before 1st April next to get it.
    This is an open forum, anyone can post and I just did !
  • Thanks to those who responded to my query, always knew there would be a catch somewhere to marrying a younger woman - only joking!!
  • bb84
    bb84 Posts: 7 Forumite
    bryanb wrote: »
    Yes it was announced a few years back. You must be 65 before 1st April next to get it.

    Not only does the state pension claimant need to pension age by 1st April, but the state pension must be in payment and the depedency increase needs to have also been claimed. For example, a man cannot claim his own pension lets say in March 2010, then claim dependency increase in May 2010, as it will be disallowed. Similarly, if a man puts off claiming his own state pension, and then has it backdated to a date prior to April 2010, it will not be possible to claim the depedency increase for his wife.
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