retired houswife pension entitlement

lijaloo

To get this factually correct, a married woman could elect to pay the lower rate stamp. That only ever covered for injury benefit and no other benefit, she could however claim a pension based on her husbands national insurance record (think it was approx. 70% of the full rate) when her husband reached pension age. If she was under pension age when he reached 65 he could claim an increase in his pension of the same rate as the she could claim. Some year ago, it would have been before 1979, the option to pay the lower rate stamp was removed. Anyone who had already elected to pay the lower rate could continue if they wished to do so. Home Responsibilities Protection worked by reducing the number of years required to qualify for a full pension. Up to a maximum of 22 years HRP was allowed but there was still a need to pay some "full stamp" to qualify. Now credits are awarded instead of HRP when someone receives child benefit, carer's allowance etc. I can remember my basic training when I first worked for the DHSS and was told that a way around the system at the time was for a wife to divorce her husband just before her 60th birthday, she would then "inherit" her husbands national insurance record and could possibly receive a full pension, then remarry just after her 60th birthday!!

gadgetmind

I have suggested to my wife that we divorce briefly so that my SIPP is shared around more evenly, but I got "the look" and haven't raised it since.

Mojisola

greenglide wrote: »

But to qualify for HRP you used to (and may still have to) have paid full rate contributions before the protection started.

If you werent paying contributions before, what is there to "protect".

I don't think this is right.

sleepless_saver

jabba21 wrote: »

Am enquiring on behalf of my parents, my mum is 67 and apart from the odd bit of part time work and a lot of voluntary work has devoted herself to raising us two and running a home. My dad is 64 and has pretty much worked full time all his life up until about two years ago when he stopped work due to illness. He is still technically employed but is unlikely to return to work and will probably have to consider retiring this year.
So far they are surviving on partial sick pay and savings, but they tell me that my mum is not entitled to any kind of pension as she has not paid enough "stamp" during her working life. This seems wrong, surely many women of her generation went the "have kids young / hubby always the breadwinner" route, are they all going to be solely dependent their husband's pension? Surely raising kids and running a home has some value attached to it in the government's eyes?
What little I have been able to find out seems to suggest that claiming family allowance while we were growing up has some bearing, also that she can claim something on the basis that my dad has worked all his life? The fact she is 68 this year and not received anything other than a bus pass, can she claim anything backdated?
My dad probably won't have the long and healthy retirement all of us hope for, but I would hate his last few years to be spent just getting by. Knowing my dad he will be insured up to the eyeballs when he goes but that is just all jam tomorrow.
Any thoughts or useful links would be much appreciated, most info i have found has been geared toward those planning retirement.

One of them should phone the Pension Service 0800 99 1234 and ask about claiming pension credit, it sounds like they may possibly be entitled and it is straightforward to do. It is calculated depending on their income as a couple - more info here.

jem16

Mojisola wrote: »

I don't think this is right.

In what way do you think it's not right?

From https://www.gov.uk/home-responsibilities-protection-hrp/eligibility

Married women or widows

You couldn’t get HRP for any complete tax year if you were a married woman or a widow and:
you had chosen to pay reduced rate Class 1 National Insurance contributions as an employee (commonly known as the small stamp)
you had chosen not to pay Class 2 National Insurance contributions when self-employed

Now if you mean it's not correct because each year is treated separately then yes I agree.

atush

My dad is 64 and has pretty much worked full time all his life up until about two years ago when he stopped work due to illness.

Has she been applying for carer's allowance if he is ill and she looks after him? This would get her money now plus Nics?

jabba21

My main concern has been answered in that she will receive some pension when my dad reaches 65 this year, even if he is fortunate enough to be able to continue working in some capacity (he certainly wants too). I believe my mum worked part time in a shop for a couple of years before she married at 18, so any contributions made would be minimal. She would also have been claiming family allowance for me from 1967 to 1983 and from my brother from 1971 to 1987, so this may help.

Many thanks to all who took the time to reply to this post, it is much appreciated. A belated happy and prosperous new year to you all.

Torry_Quine

Would they be entitled to pension credit?

jabba21

will have to tread carefully with how i present this info, think i will throw some of it into a casual conversation. My dad may be sick but is still sharp and not likely to appreciate being made to feel otherwise! It just didn't seem right when they said "mum gets nothing". Many thanks.

McKneff

jabba21 wrote: »

My main concern has been answered in that she will receive some pension when my dad reaches 65 this year, even if he is fortunate enough to be able to continue working in some capacity (he certainly wants too). I believe my mum worked part time in a shop for a couple of years before she married at 18, so any contributions made would be minimal. She would also have been claiming family allowance for me from 1967 to 1983 and from my brother from 1971 to 1987, so this may help.

Many thanks to all who took the time to reply to this post, it is much appreciated. A belated happy and prosperous new year to you all.

I cant remember the years for Home respoinsibilites but both my children were born 1968 and 1972 and I claimed family allowance for them both till they left college etc and I didn't qualify for it, so I don't think that will help at all.