State Pension when few contributions have been made

jeanniefaethecarse

My Mother in Law is 63. She's had her own business for years but never taken very much out of it regarding wages etc. and what she has taken out has always been beneath the tax and national insurance threshold. Her husband has always been above the threshold, paid stamps etc. They've basically lived on his wage and what would have been her wage has always been ploughed back into her business.
We were having a chat earlier about pensions, and she says there's no point in her claiming, or even enquiring about the state pension because of her lack of contributions, but I'm not quite sure if that's the position. I don't know anything about pensions and contributions.
She would like to retire in a couple of years or so, and I would hate to think of her "going without", so can someone at least tell me if her summing up of the situation is correct? She refuses to get a pension forecast because she thinks she might have done something wrong/illegal in not paying her stamp, in spite of her earnings being below the limit and would rather "leave well enough alone"

ETA She got child benefit from 1968 - 1984 for her two sons.
She's never had any other benefit.

xylophone

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Pensionsandretirementplanning/StatePension/Basicstatepension/DG_10014671 "Up until 5 April 2010, many people who cared for others were eligible for Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP). HRP helped protect your State Pension entitlement for years when you were not working or your earnings were low.
If you are or have been married or in a civil partnership
You may be entitled to some basic State Pension through the NICs record of either:
your spouse or civil partner "

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Pensionsandretirementplanning/StatePension/DG_183111

jeanniefaethecarse

Thanks xylophone I was just editing to add the bit about child benefit because I thought that she might qualify under home responsibilities.
I'll have a look at the link you've so kindly supplied.
Many thanks!

sleepless_saver

Once her husband reaches his state pension age, she should be able to claim based on his contributions and get a pension which is 60% of the amount his is. I'd hope the Pension Service would check her own entitlement at that point to see which is higher.

Itismehonest

Many of us are in exactly the same position having done much the same.
Apparently, I can claim 60% of DHs state pension if I outlive him.
Let's hope that the money tied up in the house holds up, we can sell & eventually use that to top up the pension pot as there'll be none from elsewhere, sadly.:(

jem16

Itismehonest wrote: »

Apparently, I can claim 60% of DHs state pension if I outlive him.(

No you can claim 60% of his basic state pension once he reaches state pension age.

If you outlive him you can claim 100% of his basic state pension and inherit some or all of his SERPS/S2P.