working out my state pension / contracting out

0ver60

Hi

I'm 66 this year and was thinking about claiming my state pension, the Govt website says my pension is at the full 221

How can i calculate how this amount will be altered , if at all, by my contracted out work pensions.

I have just about made 35 yearly NI contributions but there are a few years missing and want to consider my position

thanks

 charlie

thebullsback

check online gov.uk . look at state pension section. you can register and get an instant breakdown of your sp 

p00hsticks

If you state pension forecast says that your forecast amount is the maximum, does not require additional years to reach that maximum and cannot be improved further then there is nothing further you need to do. 

The '35 years' target is irrelevant to you, it only applies to those born this century (and so starting their working lives after the introduction of the new State Pension in 2016). 

eskbanker

0ver60 said:

How can i calculate how this amount will be altered , if at all, by my contracted out work pensions.

It won't be altered.

0ver60

thanks for the replies !!

Ive had to ask this question because of a letter I received from works and pensions and a conversation over the phone with the same dept that left me confused.

The letter asked me to send my marriage or civil partnership for me regards my late ''wife'', and if I didn't they wouldn't be able to calculate my state pension using her NI contributions.

My common law partner for over 30 years died 2019 and my Govt state pension calculator at the moment offers me the single persons rate of £221. 

Although in the past I had successfully transferred 3 years of her NI contributions of hers over to me when i was the ''househusband'' and she worked.

So I phoned works and pensions for clarification and they said that my state pension could go up or down without being able to tell me the actual reason for their letter.

They said it could go down because of my contracting out / works pension situation hence my question here and thanks again for the clarification.

They also said that it could go up but again citing my partners NI, but again she died 2019 and I'm quoted the single persons rate.

 a confused

charlie

Marcon

0ver60 said:

thanks for the replies !!

Ive had to ask this question because of a letter I received from works and pensions and a conversation over the phone with the same dept that left me confused.

The letter asked me to send my marriage or civil partnership for me regards my late ''wife'', and if I didn't they wouldn't be able to calculate my state pension using her NI contributions.

My common law partner for over 30 years died 2019 and my Govt state pension calculator at the moment offers me the single persons rate of £221. 

Although in the past I had successfully transferred 3 years of her NI contributions of hers over to me when i was the ''househusband'' and she worked.

They won't be able to use contributions from someone to whom you were neither married, nor in a civil partnership. There is no such status in law as 'common law' partner or spouse.

I suspect the previous transfer related to eligibility for Child Benefit?

xylophone

It is possible (depending on individual circumstances) to inherit SP from a spouse or civil partner.

Regarding contracting out, see

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81053126/#Comment_81053126

Your COD/COPE was used once only to calculate your "starting amount" for NSP.

What exactly does your forecast show?

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

Silvertabby

xylophone said:

It is possible (depending on individual circumstances) to inherit SP from a spouse or civil partner.

Regarding contracting out, see

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81053126/#Comment_81053126

Your COD/COPE was used once only to calculate your "starting amount" for NSP.

What exactly does your forecast show?

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

But not a 'common law' partner.

xylophone

But not a 'common law' partner.

Indeed - which is why I "bolded" in above (not putting too fine a point on it)...

I am wondering whether there is some confusion concerning OP's marital status because of the previous NI claim?

Silvertabby

xylophone said:

But not a 'common law' partner.

Indeed - which is why I "bolded" in above (not putting too fine a point on it)...

I am wondering whether there is some confusion concerning OP's marital status because of the previous NI claim?

Possibly.  Harking back to my LGPS days a lot of people mistakenly thought that 'common law spouse' had some legal meaning.