I think my mum's state pension maybe incorrect, but has been in payment for 14 years

justcheckin

Is this a fruitless line of enquiry to try to help my parents, or are such things remediable so far down the line?

xylophone

Why do you think that this is the case?
You may find this of interest
https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/pensions/article-7925117/My-wife-13-years-underpaid-state-pension-just-one-back.html

justcheckin

Thank you so much xylophone, you are so knowledgeable.

I was not aware of the 'top-up to 60% of spouse's pension' rule mentioned in the article you linked to, but my cursory understanding based on what I just read indicates this is only true where the spouse had a FULL basic state pension, but my dad only had 43 years, not 44 and his pension has other components like a GMP etc, posted in a previous thread. I am guessing this is the reason she was not eligible for this uplift?

Re: why I think this may be the case, I'm afraid I did a very basic, back of envelope maths trick of figuring if his was based on 43 full years, divided his amout of basic SP by 43, divided hers by the same amount, and got too few years. Too few years was based on my knowing she should have had 19yrs HRP, and at least 6 years of full NI, for which she is now in receipt of a lost teacher's pension (since yesterday!).

However if it is fruitless to pursue this, I don't want to give her false hope, or to spend the time I have to help with their finances on things which won't yield any actual help. I hope this makes sense. Thanks for any advice.

xylophone

but my dad only had 43 years, not 44 

It is possible that this may not have mattered - under the old system, it was possible for men aged between 60 and 65  who were not working (think for example of those who retired at scheme pension age of 60) to receive auto credits to protect their state pension.

Are you sure that your father doesn't have a full basic (currently £129.20)?

Under the old system (I assume your mother is on the old state pension), a woman required 39 full years  but HRP could reduce this https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/pensions/article-1616017/Womens-pensions-Home-Responsibilities-Protection.html

and at least 6 years of full NI, for which she is now in receipt of a lost teacher's pension 

No - she is receiving the TPS pension because she was a member of the TPS Defined Benefit Pension Scheme.

Was her membership of the TPS pre 1997? If so, is a COD now shown against pre 97 ASP on her DWP letter concerning her state pension?

justcheckin

Are you sure that your father doesn't have a full basic (currently £129.20)?

Under the old system (I assume your mother is on the old state pension), a woman required 39 full years  but HRP could reduce this https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/pensions/article-1616017/Womens-pensions-Home-Responsibilities-Protection.html

and at least 6 years of full NI, for which she is now in receipt of a lost teacher's pension 

No - she is receiving the TPS pension because she was a member of the TPS Defined Benefit Pension Scheme.

Was her membership of the TPS pre 1997? If so, is a COD now shown against pre 97 ASP on her DWP letter concerning her state pension?

His notice for the year coming, letter dated 15/02/20 states his basic SP as: £131.57

Apologies for my poor wording about the Teacher's Pension , I meant that when I was able to access information about her service history when hunting for the lost pension, I could see that she enough to suggest she had paid sufficient NI to achieve 6 years.

Her HRP was linked to receiving child benefit for 2 children born 1 yr 11 m apart (so CB for 17yrs 11m entitlement) and she later became a carer for her mother and was in receipt of Attendance Allowance, which I think should have conferred the remaining 2ish years of HRP.

She did also do some supply work, and self-employed work, and so my basic reverse engineering suggests there may be a missing amount due to her.

Her letter received this Feb stating her post April entitlements gives a breakdown of: £80.45 Basic SP, Post 97 ASP of £0.36 and Graduated Retirement Benefit of £1.15. I have no idea what these figures mean, and any light you can shed is useful.

However if the basic rule is that if you don't iron out any NI discrepancies prior to being in receipt of the state pension, then I will use the time I have to help them in a different way.

xylophone

He reached SPA before 6/4/10 (by a few days) and therefore would have required 44 years NI.
Looking back on your previous post, you indicated that he had made voluntary contributions to bring him up to a full BSP but clearly for some reason this did not happen.
The amount by which he is short  seems rather odd.
The full BSP for 20/21 is £134.25 which divided by 44 is £3.05.
43 x £3.05 = £131.19. Your father is to receive £131.57.
https://www.rightsnet.org.uk/resources/benefit-tax-credit-rates

 Her letter received this Feb stating her post April entitlements gives a breakdown of: £80.45 Basic SP, Post 97 ASP of £0.36 and Graduated Retirement Benefit of £1.15. I have no idea what these figures mean, and any light you can shed is useful.

Do you have her full NI history?  ASP etc was discussed in posts below. She is receiving a full Category B state pension based on your father's contributions - see link above.

 https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/76859538#Comment_76859538
This indicates that a Cat B gives her a greater entitlement than would her own record.

When did she become entitled to State Pension?
Was her TPS pension accrued prior to 6/4/1997?
What does her pension advice from TPS show? Is a GMP mentioned? If so, is it shown as pre 1988?

LHW99

"She did also do some supply work, and self-employed work, and so my basic reverse engineering suggests there may be a missing amount due to her."

Depending on when this was, she may have needed to formally request that this was regarded as eligible for pension, and had relevant amounts deducted from salary. It only needed to be done once, and anything afterwards would be included, even if there were breaks (although possibly if you changed authorities you would have to repeat, I'm not sure).

I did this for several years under the 1980's-90's DB scheme. The way it worked was that you qualified for pension each year by the % of full time work you did, so if you worked a full time, one term contract, then it would be counted as 1/3 of a year. Part time over the year would be reckoned up proportionately.

Salary slips would be helpful if she has any.