Help with Mother-in-laws pension

dereksteel

Good Evening, 
I'm looking for some advice regarding my mother-in-laws pension.
She retired a few years ago and only receives about £94.00 per week pension! I discovered that when she was self-employed through Provident as a collection agent for 18yrs+ she didn't pay national insurance contributions but paid any income tax due annually.
My father-in-law still works (he's on a low income) full time in a supermarket, but she doesn't qualify for pension credit or any other benefits due to the contributions being short, she phoned HMRC and the pension advice line but weren't very helpful. 
Can anyone advise of any information that could help her, she is basically living off her overdraft every week, my father-in-law wages covers all essential payments (mortgage, energy and some shopping).
Any help will be very much appreciated. 

Dazed_and_C0nfused

she didn't pay national insurance contributions but paid any income tax due annually.

Do you mean she paid her tax all in one go once a year?

If so was she classed as self employed whilst working as a collection agent?

comeandgo

I have read your post in 2015 regarding your mother in laws pension.  I assume she must have been paying the married woman's stamp as it was in those days.  I presume you have tried all the benefits going?  Has she given her Marriage Allowance to her husband?  This will reduce the tax he pays but not by a great deal, about £250 ish.  You can go back a few years if this has not been done, I can't give any links due to using pad but get onto government web site, do not use any link that says they will do it for you, 
My mum is same age as your mum and has less pension but she is on her own and is able to get enough in benefits to have a very comfortable life.  Strange how finances work.

comeandgo

I note you say she can't get any other benefits due to contributions being short, my mum never worked a day in her life but still gets benefits.

xylophone

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/68335422#Comment_68335422

It would appear that your MIL is now aged 77 and your FIL aged around 63?

If she is receiving  only £94 a week in SP,  then as you say this indicates that  she has a number of years in which she did not pay sufficient NI.

Your FiL is presumably earning at least NMW and is working full time.

Are they eligible for any universal credit?https://www.gov.uk/benefits-calculators

Remember that any claim is based on joint income.

Did your MIL ever check whether or not she was entitled to any LGPS pension for the years when she worked  for a local authority?

Has your FiL obtained a state pension forecast?

https://www.gov.uk/check-state-pension

Has he checked whether or not he has any pension entitlements from previous employments?

https://www.gov.uk/find-pension-contact-details

He is currently contributing to a workplace pension?