State Pension Claim Form BR1

Sally_The_Tortoise

Hi All

Must apologise if I've posted this in the wrong place, but I am a first time user of your forum.

I am trying to claim for my state pension and I am having no luck thus far. The help desk are not very helpful.

I have downloaded form BR1 and it asks for very specific details of your partner. As I am separated, I have no idea where my ex husband is, nor do I know his national insurance number. The guide notes accompanying the form suggest that my application will not be considered if I do not fill this information out.

Can anyone shed any light on this please? Am I reading something incorrectly? I know they changed the rules for pensions, but it seems a little strange that I can't have a successful application, unless I obtain information about someone whom I have been separated from for over six years 😬

Sx 🐢

xylophone

I would suggest that you telephone the Pension Service for assistance. https://www.gov.uk/contact-pension-service

Mojisola

Sally_The_Tortoise wrote: »

I have downloaded form BR1 and it asks for very specific details of your partner. As I am separated, I have no idea where my ex husband is, nor do I know his national insurance number. The guide notes accompanying the form suggest that my application will not be considered if I do not fill this information out.

If you are separated but not divorced, he is not your ex-husband - you are still married.

Have you used the phone number in the advice sheet - "Phone us on 0800 731 7898 if any of this will cause you difficulties."

Sally_The_Tortoise

I can't get through to that number. It's always engaged. I don't have contact with my ex husband. We are married in name only. Out of the boxes allocated on the form, separated is what I have ticked. Thank you for clafiying that. However, my real question is, what if I don't know these details? Surely I can't be the only one? Has anyone out there experienced this before? Pretty much every day for the last two weeks I've been ringing the helpline and they never answer.

greenglide

If you will claim state pension based on you own contributions, not your estranged husband's then his details don't make any difference.

Is there not an option for "don't know"?

Why not use the teleclaims service? They would know what to do and it doesn't take long.

Sally_The_Tortoise

This is my point exactly re: my contributions and not his. What is Teleclaims please? And sadly no option for don't know etc. It's a case of hand over the info or no claim.

MABLE

Sally_The_Tortoise wrote: »

Hi All

Must apologise if I've posted this in the wrong place, but I am a first time user of your forum.

I am trying to claim for my state pension and I am having no luck thus far. The help desk are not very helpful.

I have downloaded form BR1 and it asks for very specific details of your partner. As I am separated, I have no idea where my ex husband is, nor do I know his national insurance number. The guide notes accompanying the form suggest that my application will not be considered if I do not fill this information out.

Can anyone shed any light on this please? Am I reading something incorrectly? I know they changed the rules for pensions, but it seems a little strange that I can't have a successful application, unless I obtain information about someone whom I have been separated from for over six years 😬

Sx 🐢

4. How to claim
You won’t get your State Pension automatically - you have to claim it. You should get a letter 4 months before you reach State Pension age, telling you what to do.

Mojisola

Sally_The_Tortoise wrote: »

What is Teleclaims please?

https://www.gov.uk/state-pension/how-to-claim

As you are still legally married, you are each other's next of kin and, if you die without a will, he will inherit from you.

Once the pension is sorted, think about getting a divorce.

patanne

Or make a will and hope that he doesn't! (Said very tongue in cheek by the way)

anmarj

Don't worry about his national insurance number, do you know his name and date of birth? If so they can trace it using that info. The reason they ask is if your pension is less than 60% of the basic pension they may be able to top it up to the 60% but they need to look at his record to confirm. (they don't contact him directly) if they can't do that they can only award it based on your contributions only, if under 60%.

xylophone

https://www.gov.uk/state-pension/how-to-claim

State Pension Claim Line.