Unfair and discriminated State Pension

Pollycat

xylophone said:

I have had to take my husband to court to try to get money from the house we had together. My name wasn't on the deeds.
A year later and £8,000 (on my credit card) this is still not resolved.

Is there a reason why the value of  the family home was not included in the divorce settlement?

https://www.divorce-online.co.uk/blog/what-happens-if-the-house-is-in-the-name-of-only-one-spouse/

The OP has 2 earlier threads.
It seems the OP's ex promised various things - including spousal maintenance of £500 per month for 5 years as the OP realised she wouldn't have enough to live on if they split the house proceeds 50/50.

xylophone

It seems the OP's ex promised various things - including spousal maintenance of £500 per month for 5 years as the OP realised she wouldn't have enough to live on if they split the house proceeds 50/50.

Promised?  Hm...

I have now had a look at 

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/79072527#Comment_79072527

It would appear that a settlement through the court is on the horizon?

Pollycat

xylophone said:

It seems the OP's ex promised various things - including spousal maintenance of £500 per month for 5 years as the OP realised she wouldn't have enough to live on if they split the house proceeds 50/50.

Promised?  Hm...

I have now had a look at 

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/79072527#Comment_79072527

It would appear that a settlement through the court is on the horizon?

Yes, it sounded like it but the OP has not updated that thread.

Some interesting information by TBagpuss on that thread re the OP drawing her share of her ex's pension now.

I'm not sure if the OP is just having a vent regarding her receiving less state pension than her friends or is looking for advice.
It might help if the OP could clarify on the status of her pension credit claim(s).

I should not have to keep asking about pension credit, it is so degrading asking for charity.

OP - applying for and receiving benefits is not asking for charity. 
However, if you are not eligible, you're not eligible.

Sorry to hear of your health diagnosis.

xylophone

I'm not sure if the OP is just having a vent regarding her receiving less state pension than her friends 

Whether on old or new scheme, the amount of SP received depends on individual circumstances and in particular on the amount of additional state pension accrued - I wonder whether the OP realises this?

She would have become eligible for her SP in around 2013 - clearly she had enough contributions/credits to have accrued a full basic and some additional state pension - her state pension statement will show the breakdown.

What surprises me is that she makes no mention of a pension from Sainsbury - perhaps she chose not to join the scheme (s).

She also mentions what amounts to industrial injury - I had a relative who found Sainsbury an excellent employer with strong staff welfare ethos - I am also surprised that the OP never took up this problem with the occupational health team.

jigsawgirl69

Thank you for all your comments - much appreciated. I didn't really think anyone would be interested.
Regrettably I didn't join the Sainsburys pension scheme. At the time, my husband said I didn't need to, as I only worked part-time and money was short. Our age difference (he was 14 years younger than me) meant he would still be working when I retired. Hindsight is a wonderful thing! 
Originally he said it wouldn't be worth me having half of his pension, due to the age difference. I would probably be dead before I could claim it. Obviously now I realise this was wrong. My solicitor advises me I can claim half of one of his 3. This would be around £60,000. I might be able to take 25% cash, but not sure how this works and what it costs. I should be able to claim 1/2 house sale around £73,000 as well now. 
Unfortunately, this has taken over a year to get to this point. I have also been left with debts of £20,000 as some debts were in my name, regardless of what they were for. 
I sold my car (Fiat 500) to pay for food and bills etc, and to pay off one of the 2 cards I have.
He hasn't given or offered me any money in over 12 months. It has been a struggle physically and emotionally.
My solicitor hoped I would have enough money to buy a flat outright to house me.
I also need to pay these debts off (which includes the £8,000 solicitors fees up to now) and £6,000 for my sons renovations - which we had agreed to pay 1/2 each.
You are right it was me venting my anger at the unfairness of the State Pension scheme.
When all this settles down, my income will not be enough to live on. Not sure if the pension will allow me to take a monthly allowance to help with bills?
I know now, I have been trusting and naive and would advise anyone else to make sure you are in control of your finances and not reliant on anyone else.
Thanks again - really helps to talk about this and not let it build up inside.

xylophone

You are right it was me venting my anger at the unfairness of the State Pension scheme.

Why "unfair"?

You have received exactly what you were owed at the time you became eligible for SP.

You needed only 30 years NI (paid or credited) to receive full basic - had you become eligible pre 6/4/2010 you would have needed 39 years paid or credited.

You became eligible to receive your SP when you were aged under 62 - under NSP it is 65 rising to 66/67.

The new SP is "flat rate" - there is no possibility of accruing additional state pension.

It is unfortunate that you did not join the Sainsbury's pension scheme.

And see the Age UK fact sheet about eligibility for PC and calcotti's post above. 

PennyForThem_2

I know now, I have been trusting and naive and would advise anyone else to make sure you are in control of your finances and not reliant on anyone else.

Should be taught from primary school onwards.  I learnt early that OH was a spender and I was a saver.  I separated our finances in early years of marriage and worked well.  I was in controll of my earnings and I checked out advice on Boards such as this.  

I don't think it is uncommon for women of state pension age to have not contributed to pensions offered by their employers.  

Pollycat

Thanks for coming back, OP.
I can understand why you made the decision about not joining your works pension scheme but I would never have done that.
Lots of women my age opted to pay the 'married woman's stamp' for the state pension but I didn't.
In that era (early 1970s) there wasn't advice boards like this. 

I'm 2 years younger than you but was well aware of the implications of financial decisions.
I knew back in the 1990s that I wouldn't get my state pension at age 60. 

Re your latest post:
why can you only claim half of one of your ex's pensions?
If you were married for 32 years, surely you were together for most of his working life.
He will be around age 57 so would have been 25 or so when you married.
Do his 2 other pensions date to before your relationship?

What is the status of your pension credit claim?
Has your claim been refused?
If so, what was the reason?

If you are still waiting for a decision, when did you apply?
Why did you apply twice?

jigsawgirl69

Hi
Thanks for your comments and time.
His other 2 pensions are smaller amounts. He had 1 other, but let it lapse.
I asked about pension credit several months ago.  I hadn't heard anything after the date they quoted I would, so rang the help line.
They said re-apply, which I did.
Again after the time quoted, still nothing, so rang again. They said the file had been updated and I would hear within 5 days.
that was in June, and still nothing.
Maybe I should wait until the finances have been settled. I might not need any more help, I'm not sure.
My current solicitor has left the Company. This has happened twice now. Bit annoying as you have to go through everything again. My new solicitor has a different opinion and says the next stage of court proceedings will be significantly more expensive, and I should consider taking the last offer.
Very frustrating. 
No-one to blame but myself, so will have to just get on with things.

calcotti

xylophone said:

You became eligible to receive your SP when you were aged under 62 - under NSP it is 65 rising to 66/67.

It is already 66.