Joint State pension

littlerock

Sorry my b-i-l describes it as his pension which he claims for both of them and it seems the amount is the same as the SRP?

(Just to add b-i-l has no disabilities nor does wife. He does not work because he has reached official retirement age, she works for a voluntary organisation related to her native country because she speaks very limited English but is also fit and healthy and his junior by 15 years.)

(I have to wonder what is the point in paying NI to get the SRB if you can get the identical pension amount as a non contributory means tested benefit without having paid an NI contribution in your life.)

xylophone

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/382867/proposed_benefit_and_pension_rates_2015_to_2016.pdf

missbiggles1

littlerock wrote: »

Sorry my b-i-l describes it as his pension which he claims for both of them and it seems the amount is the same as the SRP?

(Just to add b-i-l has no disabilities nor does wife. He does not work because he has reached official retirement age, she works for a voluntary organisation related to her native country because she speaks very limited English but is also fit and healthy and his junior by 15 years.)

(I have to wonder what is the point in paying NI to get the SRB if you can get the identical pension amount as a non contributory means tested benefit without having paid an NI contribution in your life.)

Many people receive far more than £113 for their SRP, up to about £250 pw. £113 is the basic pension without Serps and S2P.

atush

There is no married or joint pension.

And even claiming a 60% pension off a spouse's contribution will soon be no longer possible. which was the 'married' pension before.

Pension credit is not state pension. this is for those who will not (or cannot) save for themselves.

This too is being replaced as of April 2016.

xylophone

There is no married or joint pension.

No, there is the possibility of claiming a category B pension on spouse contributions but given what is said in the links in my posts 28 and 29 above, is it any wonder that there is confusion?

Pension credit is not state pension. this is for those who will not (or cannot) save for themselves.

This too is being replaced as of April 2016.

No. See https://www.gov.uk/pension-credit/overview

"If you reach State Pension age on or after 6 April 2016

Most people won’t be eligible for Savings Credit.

You may still get Savings Credit if you’re part of a couple and 1 of you has reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016."

Pension Guarantee Credit will still exist and Savings Credit as above.

http://www.which.co.uk/money/retirement/guides/state-pension-explained/pension-credit/

"The government's changes to the state pension, coming into force in 2016, will include the abolition of the savings credit element of pension credit. The guarantee credit element will continue to provide a safety net to lower income pensioners."

Murphybear

Does anyone know if the abolition of Pension Savings Credit will be abolished for everyone or only those who will be of SP age and get the new SP in 2016.

The reason I ask is that I have just started getting SP and after a nice chat with the DWP was told although my SP is too high to claim Guaranteed PC I may be able to claim SC when I am 65, which will be in 2017

Pollycat

DesG wrote: »

Might be worth putting your glasses on

Clarify this statement, please.

What have I missed?

Pollycat

xylophone wrote: »

Some excuse for the OP's confusion?

No excuse for his arrogance and rudeness, though......

seven-day-weekend

littlerock wrote: »

Sorry my b-i-l describes it as his pension which he claims for both of them and it seems the amount is the same as the SRP?

(Just to add b-i-l has no disabilities nor does wife. He does not work because he has reached official retirement age, she works for a voluntary organisation related to her native country because she speaks very limited English but is also fit and healthy and his junior by 15 years.)

(I have to wonder what is the point in paying NI to get the SRB if you can get the identical pension amount as a non contributory means tested benefit without having paid an NI contribution in your life.)

The point is, if you get State Pension instead of Pension Credit then it is not means tested (Pension Credit is), so therefore you do not have to answer to the government about your finances.

And of course, most people, who have built up pensions in their own right, get far more than PC anyway. My husband and I get separate Pensions, both of which are more than we would get if we claimed PC.

margaretclare

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

The point is, if you get State Pension instead of Pension Credit then it is not means tested (Pension Credit is), so therefore you do not have to answer to the government about your finances.

And of course, most people, who have built up pensions in their own right, get far more than PC anyway. My husband and I get separate Pensions, both of which are more than we would get if we claimed PC.

Yes, same with us. DH was never 'contracted-out' i.e. into an employment pension scheme, so he gets quite a lot of SERPS. Just about the same amount as his basic SRP in fact. Because of our age, if he dies before me I could inherit 100% of it. I also get some SERPS for the time I wasn't contracted out and he can inherit that if I die first. All this is worth having. Plus, annuities based on earlier savings schemes or his 'golden goodbye' when his company folded.

The point about means-tested benefits is that you can't get any more than, in official parlance, what the government says you need to live on.