They're taking away all my pension!

abandhev

I've been married for 41 years, and have just found out that I won't be getting any pension at all. I am 58 now, but have unusual circumstances.
I married at 17, worked full time from the age of 15 till marriage, but moved too far from my job to stay. I then worked for 5 months, but had to leave to have my first child. As was common then I stayed at home with the children for the next 15 years. We did discuss me returning to work, but as my husband did very unsocial hours (he worked every night and every weekend) we wanted to have some sort of a life together, so I stayed at home. My BIG mistake in all this, was that I had a couple of short term very part time jobs, and as we didn't think pensions would be a problem, as we thought there was a married couple's pension - I paid the married woman's stamp. Now found out that this writes of the 'credits' that I would have had if I'd just been at home with the children.
Subsequently I worked for myself, from home, for 15 years, but was only earning a couple of thousand, so wasn't required to pay a stamp, and at that point didn't think I needed to.
My husband worked for 42 years, but still with unsocial hours, so when he had to have a heart bypass at the age of 60, he decided to take early retirement, as would not have been allowed to continue with his job anyway. We worked out all the figures, and knew that with his small work pension, his full state pension, and my reduced pension, we would just about be able to manage.
The problem we now face is that we will lose £60 a week. Just can't afford that. Not sure what we can do to change something that won't happen for another 7 years!
I stopped working for myself about 15 years ago, due to health problems, and since then I have had various other health issues, so cannot see how I could get a job now. Would be willing to work again, but everything I have done in the past would be ruled out because of these issues. My husband would equally be willing to do some work to make up this shortfall, but again, with his heart condition, I'm not sure what he could possibly do (he's 62 now).
Sorry for the long ramble, but can anyone help us to find a way, so that we can make up the shortfall that we will face when I get to retirement age?

rpc

Is you have seven years left, you can pay seven years of NICs to earn some pension. You can also top up the last six years. (see http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/ni/volcontr/whentop-up.htm) You also surely have some entitlement built up from your early jobs (even if it is just a few years worth).

Do you have a state pension forecast for both of you? If not, get one.

Your pension isn't really being taken away - you chose not to pay for one and it shouldn't really be a surprise that you aren't getting much of one. State pension is contributions-based. No contributions equals no pension!

Dunroamin

Are you claiming any ill health benefits like IB or ESA?

atush

If you didn't have a job the whole time you were home with the children and got CB, then you will have some contributions there as well (now up to 12 years, but before it went up to 16 and from the first to last child) so you may bery well have 10 years or more NI.

So, stop complaining and guessing and ask for a forcast. Then you will know what to do.

And of course, you can work part time now, or pay voluntary contributions going forwards.

Mojisola

Depending on how much his work pension is, he may be able to claim Pension Credit - https://www.gov.uk/pension-credit/overview

As the others have said, you need to get a pension forecast.

Where have you got the figure of £60 from?

abandhev

If we had been told from the start that I wouldn't get one from my husband's contributions, I would fully agree with you. It's when the rules are changed, when it's too late for you to make a different decision, that I think it's really unfair.
Trouble is we are on a limited income arlready now, so not sure we can afford to pay stamps. I would willingly work, to make up some income, but again circumstances beyond my control (poor health) make any of the work I am familiar with, and good at, is now not possible.

Yes, I had a pension forcast, and was only entitled to a reduced pension, on my husband's contributions. He is entitled to the full amount, but unfortunately will reach retirement age before the new higher rate comes into force.

abandhev

£60 was what we were told I would get on his contributions.

As we have enough money from savings to get along for the next 5-6 years, I've not been claiming anything.

abandhev

No, I've now found out that because I very briefly paid the married womans stam a few times, I don't get the stamps credited to me, even though I was at home with the children. Have had a pension forcast a few years ago that confirmed my only pension would be from my husbands contributions.

SnowMan

abandhev wrote: »

I've been married for 41 years, and have just found out that I won't be getting any pension at all. I am 58 now, but have unusual circumstances.

I don't undererstand why you think you won't get any pension at all.

By choosing the married women's reduced rate you effectively have opted to receive 60% of your husband's basic state pension, as an alternative to claiming a pension in your own right.

You will reach SPA after 6th April 2016 and so come under the new single tier pension.

Under the proposed single tier pension there is protection for accrued rights (i.e. the 60% bit) for those who have been paying reduced married women's NI through the 'Safeguard Amount' to use the DWP jargon. The detail can be found in the DWP publication Derived and inherited state pension and the single tier pension.

Mojisola

abandhev wrote: »

No, I've now found out that because I very briefly paid the married womans stam a few times, I don't get the stamps credited to me, even though I was at home with the children. Have had a pension forcast a few years ago that confirmed my only pension would be from my husbands contributions.

You don't lose all the years of Home Responsibility Protection just because you had a couple of part-time jobs.

Get a new pension forecast.

abandhev

I asked the a few years ago and was told that every year I worked, I lost my home responsibiliyt protection, will check again now, but at that time, I was told I had very few years.

Not sure about this secured rights, it was payments to people that haven't paid in that these changes were ment to affect!