older wife pension query?

peter1000

my wife is 6 years older than me.when she gets to pension age will she just draw a single pension? will we only qualify for a couples pension when i reach retirement age?

kidmugsy

peter1000 wrote: »

my wife is 6 years older than me.when she gets to pension age will she just draw a single pension? will we only qualify for a couples pension when i reach retirement age?

"a couples pension": I don't think that exists. Can you explain what you mean?

datostar

She'll get a pension in her own right based on her contributions. If she doesn't qualify for the full amount it might be worth looking into paying contributions to boost it. If her pension is less than 60% of the full amount, she will receive 60% based on your contributions when you reach pensionable age. There's no such thing as a couples pension.

redbuzzard

datostar wrote: »

She'll get a pension in her own right based on her contributions. If she doesn't qualify for the full amount it might be worth looking into paying contributions to boost it. If her pension is less than 60% of the full amount, she will receive 60% based on your contributions when you reach pensionable age. There's no such thing as a couples pension.

I think it's referred to as a joint state pension. If one has a full state pension and the other has none, then the one who has none gets a reduced pension.

From Which?

"Full basic state pension for a married couple (or civil partners) for £2012-13 is £171.85. This is the amount that a couple can claim so long as one of them qualifies for full basic state pension by virtue of their National Insurance contributions.

Effectively, the non-qualifying partner receives reduced basic state pension of £64.40 per week. Where both couples qualify for full state pension, they receive this individually, getting £107.45 each- giving them a combined basic pension of £214.90 per week.

However, this will change in 2016 with the arrival of the flat-rate pension, which will replace the joint state pension system in favour of a single £144 payment for each qualifying pensioner."

EDIT

See Bilbo51's comments below on the Which? piece

patanne

Has she applied for a state pension forecast which can now be done on-line I believe.

bilbo51

redbuzzard wrote: »

I think it's referred to as a joint state pension. If one has a full state pension and the other has none, then the one who has none gets a reduced pension.

From Which?

"Full basic state pension for a married couple (or civil partners) for £2012-13 is £171.85. This is the amount that a couple can claim so long as one of them qualifies for full basic state pension by virtue of their National Insurance contributions.

Effectively, the non-qualifying partner receives reduced basic state pension of £64.40 per week. Where both couples qualify for full state pension, they receive this individually, getting £107.45 each- giving them a combined basic pension of £214.90 per week.

However, this will change in 2016 with the arrival of the flat-rate pension, which will replace the joint state pension system in favour of a single £144 payment for each qualifying pensioner."

Two things. Firstly, I'm staggered that Which is still referring to the mythical "Joint State Pension". Secondly, I think the last sentence is woefully misleading and a casual reading might lead the unwary to think that £171.85 would suddenly become £288. The devil is in the word 'qualifying'. Each partner would be assessed on their own NI contributions against the proposed 35 years NI contributions benchmark. Personally I think this 'Flat Rate Pension' tag should be consigned to the dustbin asap.