Inheriting the State Pension from late husband

Mammaham

My husband died in 1995 when I was 29.  I asked for clarification on what contribution I would be inheriting from his pension. 

I was told as he died and we married before April 2016 I 'might' be able to inherit amount shown in this estimate - but no specific amount was provided.

I was also advised I could inherit some of this state pension and graduated retirement benefit (GRB) and SERPS; but this is dependent on any widows pension I received when he died; and then I was told as I was under 45 when he I was widowed you are not entitled to inherit any of his additional state pension.

So confused !  Can someone explain this in simple terms please.

Thank you.

 

gmje

I was in a similar position although my husband died 2013 and I am older than you. this link below shows what you get.

https://www.gov.uk/additional-state-pension/inheriting#:~:text=The maximum you can inherit,on their date of birth.

jem16

Mammaham said:

My husband died in 1995 when I was 29.  I asked for clarification on what contribution I would be inheriting from his pension. 

I was told as he died and we married before April 2016 I 'might' be able to inherit amount shown in this estimate - but no specific amount was provided.

I was also advised I could inherit some of this state pension and graduated retirement benefit (GRB) and SERPS; but this is dependent on any widows pension I received when he died; and then I was told as I was under 45 when he I was widowed you are not entitled to inherit any of his additional state pension.

So confused !  Can someone explain this in simple terms please.

Thank you.

 

As your husband died before October 2002, you will be entitled to inherit 100% of any additional state pension he had from GRB and SERPS. However if he was contracted out there might be nothing to inherit. As you were under 45 you would not have been able to receive a Widow’s Pension - perhaps there was a misunderstanding there?

Anything that you may inherit won’t be paid until you reach State Pension Age yourself. 

Blue_Butterfly

Widows and widowers are disqualified from inheriting Additional State Pension if they remarry or form a Civil Partnership before SPA, but not if its after SPA.

I inherited ASP last year and my letter stated my pension included a protected payment inherited from my late husband. It just gave a total amount, my own forecast was a full NSP so could easily work out how much my inherited payment was.

Mammaham

Thank you all for your kind responses.  I had a call back from the Futures Team and he said that I'm not entitled to any of my husband's pension when I retire at 67 - I'm now 59.  He said my husband's pension has been absorbed into the benefit pot as per the new pension regulations in 2016.

Quite sad actually.

molerat

They may have just explained it badly.  With the introduction of the 2016 pension there is no longer any inheritance of basic pension based on spouse contributions, you now rely purely on your own contribution record.  All that can now be inherited in your situation is a proportion of any additional pension which could be £0.  Inheriting State Pension   Go to page 12 (as this was produced prior to the introduction of the new pension for any mention of 2017 read as 2016)

jem16

Mammaham said:

Thank you all for your kind responses.  I had a call back from the Futures Team and he said that I'm not entitled to any of my husband's pension when I retire at 67 - I'm now 59.  He said my husband's pension has been absorbed into the benefit pot as per the new pension regulations in 2016.

Quite sad actually.

That’s a very poor response and quite possibly wrong but I suppose it depends on what you asked. The call centre would not be able to answer your question as they don’t have the information. Instead you should write to the DWP explaining when your husband died and asking if they can give you an estimate of any Additional Pension from GRB and SERPS that you might inherit. Make sure you give his NI details too. 

The new regulations in 2016 have transitional arrangements that protected any inherited amount you may be due. 

Suzycoll

Mammaham said:

My husband died in 1995 when I was 29.  I asked for clarification on what contribution I would be inheriting from his pension. 

I was told as he died and we married before April 2016 I 'might' be able to inherit amount shown in this estimate - but no specific amount was provided.

I was also advised I could inherit some of this state pension and graduated retirement benefit (GRB) and SERPS; but this is dependent on any widows pension I received when he died; and then I was told as I was under 45 when he I was widowed you are not entitled to inherit any of his additional state pension.

So confused !  Can someone explain this in simple terms please.

Thank you.

 

hi
as I understand  it you are currently under state pension age ?

Therefore,  when you come to claim your state pension you will be in the 'new' state pension.
Therefore you wont inherit any of your late husbands pension - sorry 

jem16

Suzycoll said:

Mammaham said:

My husband died in 1995 when I was 29.  I asked for clarification on what contribution I would be inheriting from his pension. 

I was told as he died and we married before April 2016 I 'might' be able to inherit amount shown in this estimate - but no specific amount was provided.

I was also advised I could inherit some of this state pension and graduated retirement benefit (GRB) and SERPS; but this is dependent on any widows pension I received when he died; and then I was told as I was under 45 when he I was widowed you are not entitled to inherit any of his additional state pension.

So confused !  Can someone explain this in simple terms please.

Thank you.

 

hi
as I understand  it you are currently under state pension age ?

Therefore,  when you come to claim your state pension you will be in the 'new' state pension.
Therefore you wont inherit any of your late husbands pension - sorry 

That is totally untrue.

As her husband died under the old system she is entitled to a percentage of any additional pension her husband may have had.

xylophone

OP - a long read but try this

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a758e27e5274a6faebebd94/derived-inherited-entitlement.pdf