State pension share after death

Sophie2009

Hello
My father passed away a few weeks ago, both were getting state pension around £500 per months. The DWP were informed and my mother was informed that she would be able to claim some of dads pension. However when the letter can she has only been awarded £7 per week of his pension? Is this correct as it does not seem fair that he paid in for years and and died at 68 so did not get his full entitlement.
Or was was I being to optimistic?

Thanks

seven-day-weekend

She may be entitled to some of his Additional Pension.

https://www.gov.uk/additional-state-pension/inheriting

Sophie2009

Thanks if mum has informed them of his death why are the DWP not doing this automatically?

Linton

One's full entitlement when drawing the State Pension is to be paid until death.



I assume your father reached State Pension Age before April 2016. If that is the case his state pension would have been divided into several different components. The main basic state pension cannot be inherited. However 50% of the earnings related part may be paid to a spouse. People reaching State Pension Age after April 2016 only receive a single payment which is not inheritable.

xylophone

Both parents reached State Pension Age before 6/4/16?

https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/pensions/article-5782151/Should-inherited-husbands-state-pension.html

JezR

Assuming your father retired before 6/4/16 and had at least 30 years contributions/credits of NI, then his basic state pension was the full amount of £125.95 per week or £503.80 every four weeks (which is what the 'monthly' payment actually is). So the amount above this would be the additional state pension inheritable by your mother at 50%.

If your mother also had met the 30 years NIC requirement retiring pre 6/4/16 for the full basic pension then there would be no 'topping up' on your father's contributions to consider, even within the 'old' system.

These are maybe the most likely circumstances based on what is said but they could be different if some of the assumptions are not the case.

drumtochty

[FONT=&quot]Sophie, it appears that they were both getting the base state pension with your father getting a tiny amount of SERPS or Second State pension.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]That suggest if they both worked full time, that they had contracted out occupational pensions as they would have had higher state pensions if they had not been contracted out and had a full NI record. Say nearer £800 a month or more. They would also have paid higher NI payments deductions from their wages during their working life.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Therefore, if this is true, they paid less NI and less NI gives no real additional secondary pension therefore only a tiny amount to be inherited.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]If this was the case, your mother will probably have a widow’s pension from his occupational pension. Therefore, she cannot get a sizable share of his additional state pension if it was not funded by his higher NI payments that he did not pay.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]You appear to think she is owed more than this from your fathers state pension.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Can you please advise exactly how much you have calculated she should have got added to her state pension after your fathers death and how that is calculated? I have a number of friends this has happened to early in retirement, they too believe they should get more from their spouse’s state pension but cannot point to what state pension rules that provide this extra state pension to the surviving spouse.[/FONT]

GunJack

Did your dad not have any occupational pension? If so, there may be a survivor's pension. Or are you saying that they both ONLY had state pension? That may lead to pension credit being available to top-up your mum's income.