widow's pension

margaretjohns

Does anyone know how much a widow would receive in pension if she was only receiving the state pension on her husband's contributions (due to paying the 'small' stamp) She doesn't have any private pension and her husband's private pension stopped when he died.

iris

[FONT=FS Me Light,FS Me Light][FONT=FS Me Light,FS Me Light]Based on your own or late spouse’s or late civil partner’s National Insurance contributions (NICs) [/FONT][/FONT]£110.15.

margaretjohns

Thanks Iris. I don't know how she will live on that probably have to sell her bungalow and rent somewhere.

iris

What about Pension Credit?

atush

Have her contact the CAB and age concern to make sure she gets all the benefits such as pension credit and council tax help etc she is entitled to.

Why did her husbands work pension stop? Many have some spousal pension benefits, and if money purchase did he have a 10 yr guarantee and did he arrange a pension for her?

margaretjohns

Thanks I will mention the pension credit to her. I don't know if she knows about anything really as she didn't do anything with money.

Atush - her husband's pension was a private one and he arranged nothing for her as I spoke to the Insurance Company for her. I think he probably thought she would go first as she had lots of illness.

Dunroamin

Pension credit will top up her income to £145.40 and she'll be able to claim council tax benefit as well. As she owns her own property she should be able to manage quite well.

iris

You say she is unwell, has she claimed AA (Attendance Allowance)?

xylophone

http://www.pensionsadvisoryservice.org.uk/state-pensions/death-benefits

https://www.gov.uk/pension-credit/overview
https://www.gov.uk/council-tax-reduction

margaretclare

If her late husband was getting SERPS (now called SRP) she may be able to inherit it. This depends on his year of birth. See http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/serps-and-the-state-second-pension

I don't know if she knows about anything really as she didn't do anything with money.

Whenever I read something like this - which is not infrequently - I realise the value of a site such as Martin's. I can't understand how anyone can go through life not doing anything with money, but there are such people, we do see this. I've even met them, especially when I used to be a volunteer at CAB, I even met a member of staff who was like this. She had housekeeping given once a week and her only financial responsibility was doing the food shopping and paying the milkman and the paper-bill.

OP, you're a good friend, but now is the time for this lady to start learning. It's never too late!

margaretjohns

thanks Iris - not eligible for AA - not ill enough!

Dunroamin - I don't think I could manage on £145. a week! maybe possible with no car or going out anywhere but I reckon that would be a sad existance. Most expenses are the same for 1 as it is for 2 - heating, water, tv licence etc.

I feel very sorry for her and unfortunately she has no family either.