Difference in state pension

LKpension

I get the full state pension of £175.20 per week. My partner gets more than this, can anyone please explain why?

Many thanks

molerat

Because at April 2016 they already had more than the full new pension under the old rules - £155.65 at the time. Nobody moving over to the post 2016 rules received less than they were already entitled to. The full explanation is more complicated but that is the basic reason.

Marcon

If you wanted more info, this is one of the clearer (and shorter!) explanations I could find online: https://prospect.org.uk/article/transitional-arrangements-for-people-reaching-state-pension-age-from-6-april-2016-who-worked-before-this-date/

dunstonh

LKpension said:

I get the full state pension of £175.20 per week. My partner gets more than this, can anyone please explain why?

Many thanks

As you both straddle the old and the new state pension, you would have built up entitlement in the days there was SERPS, S2P and possibly graduated pension. That is not lost   You may have contracted out of SERPS/S2P for a period as well but your partner may not have.   So, there are plenty of reasons why their pension could be more.

xylophone

At 6/4/16, two calculations were done for  you and for your spouse  based on your individual records.

NI years/30 (maximum) x £119.30 (Full Basic)  + (Additional State Pension - (if applicable) Deduction for Contracting Out)

NI years/35 (maximum) x £155.65 (Full NSP) - (if applicable) Contracted Out Pension Equivalent.

The "starting amount" was the higher of the two.

If your starting amount was equal to a full NSP, you could not increase it by further NI contributions - it would simply revalue under the "triple lock" system up to and beyond claiming your pension at State Pension Age.

If it was less than a full NSP, there was the possibility of increasing it by additional contributions or credits, depending on your personal record.

If it was more than a full NSP, you could not improve it by further contributions - the amount equal to a full NSP would revalue under the "triple lock" while the balance would increase by September CPI in the year preceding the new tax year.