Mums Pension Is Zero - Yikes!!!

Joey122

Hi All,

My mum turns sixty in the next two years and I ve contacted the pension team who have confirmed in writing that she is entitled to nothing.

She has eight children and has never worked, always being a house wife.

My dad is still alive and will be getting a pension but they were actually talking about seperating soon .

My question is - Can someone who has been married for thirty years get nothing for their pension? Is pension paid to a couple or each individual.

If she was to seperate would that be negative for her pension.

Thanks all for your excellent support - This site is amazing

CIS

In general a state pension is paid to yourself on your own NI record but not always.

Many people are entitled to nothing on their own record - either they paid the married womens stamp (small stamp) or they had very low earnings . The state pension is primarily a contribution based system where you usualy only get out when you've paid in.

If your mother remains married then she will be able to claim a pension that is 60% of that which your dad receives - she can claim this even if she has no entitlement to a pension on her own contribution record.

If they get divorced she can claim a pension as a divorcee - if your dad has a full or nearly full state pension then she will likely be better off than claiming as a married person.

One question I would ask is why has she waited 2 years to claim ?, when did your dad tuen 65 ?. If he is already retired then she has lost out by not claiming earlier.

Joey122

My father is 66 but my mum is 58 - Is she entitled to claim a pension?

I thought she had to wait till sixty.

Also my Dad has 23 years pension so not a full pension - Does this affect your estimates? Roughly speaking what will my Mum get if she is divorced?

Thanks very much...

EdInvestor

Once she is over 60 if she is separated she can claim pension credit, which will give her a minimum of 117 pounds a week, plus housing benefit and free council tax.

Of course this is means tested, unlike the state pension.

Joey122

Thanks - Is the state pension means tested?

If my dad has 23 years pension what would he get and ultimately what would my Mum get at 60 % - SHe has a house and therefore would nt be elegibile for housing benefit

Thanks

CIS

sorry I misread your post and read it as your mum had turned 60 two years ago.

If she's 58 then she must wait to 60 , she can then put in a claim straight away aginst his NI record as either a married woman or a divorcee.

If you dad has 23 yrs then your mum can get around £27 per week as married woman, as a divorcee she can get a pension equivalent of up to 23 yrs worth of contributions - around £46 per week or so.

seven-day-weekend

The State Pension is not means-tested.:D

Joey122

All,

Thanks this information is increddibly useful and very helpful

Last question on this topic is as follows:

My Dad is in fact 61 and on pension credit - So not pension but pension credit -

Does my dad need to be 60 for her to be able to start claiming pension herself when she turns sixty especially if she is divorced?

EdInvestor

I'd have thought he needs to be 65 for her to claim any state pension. That's not to say she can't claim pension credit as well, though for the time being.

CIS

Your dad needs to be 65 for his state pension however I would have expected that the pension credit claim is already as a couple - or at least it should be.