State pension clarification

peteduk

Hello,
Please can you help us with thinking re my wife's state pension so we can be assured it is correct? If not, is there a way to contact HMRC / DWP to confirm? Thank you in advance for your advice.

My wife started to receive her state pension in 2008 so we are talkng about the old state pension (born in 1948).
Her pension is ~£420 per month.
When she started to receive her pension we bought all the then 'allowed years' that had insufficient NI contribution.

She has 2 daughters from a previous marriage: the eldest born in 1969, the next in 1971 so the years in which she received child benefit should(?) span from ~1970 to 1987 

Her NI record shows:
Only 3 full years up to April 1975
1975 - 1976 "Year is not full"
1976 - 1978 "Year is full"
1978 - 1987 "Year is not full"

For 1975 - 1976 and 1978 to 1987 and for the period before 1975 there is no detail.

Her 1st marriage was to a soldier. During the marriage she moved with him to Singapore and Germany when posted there. Both her children were born overseas.
She has had mostly occasional part time casual work before, during and after her marriage - when bringing up her children. She is not aware of paying NI, but the record shows she paid some in 1976 - 1978 which we then topped up I think (~£22 NI total).
Her work was infrequent, unofficial and mostly cash in hand.

Should my wife have received NI credits if not in official work and receiving child benefit?
Is there a way I can ask HMRC / NI to verify their record?
Should my wife have received National Insurance credit during her husband's overseas service? It feels strange she has only 3 years entitlement from before 1975 - would the birth of her 1st child when overseas affect this?

My wife's 1st husband remarried and is now deceased. Also, because we married I believe she is not entitled to any credit from his pension contributions.

Because I have not yet reached state pension age and the rules have changed I assume she is not entitled to any credit from my contributions.

I appreciate that some may be offended that my wife had work that was infrequent, unofficial and cash in hand when bringing up her children and may therefore not wish to advise. If so thank you for reading but this was / is a reality for many single parents.


Thank you again for your help,

Pete

Sarahspangles

Home Responsibilities Protection started from 1978 so that explains some gaps.

https://www.gov.uk/home-responsibilities-protection-hrp

molerat

She would not be eligible for credits as an HM Forces spouse overseas as that only applies if reaching pension age after April 2016.

She should be entitled to HRP from 78-79 until the youngest child was 16 unless she opted for the lower "married woman's stamp".  HRP though is not the same as the current NI credits, it would reduce the number of years required for a full pension and pro rate what you have against that lower amount.

Contact links in the following

https://www.gov.uk/national-insurance-credits/eligibility

sheramber

I don’t know if this applies tonher

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-insurance-application-for-service-spouse-class-3-credits

molerat

sheramber said:

I don’t know if this applies tonher

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-insurance-application-for-service-spouse-class-3-credits

Partners of people in armed forces

Your situation	How to get credits
You’re married to or a civil partner of a member of the armed forces, went with your partner on an overseas posting after 6 April 2010, and are returning to the UK	Apply for Class 1 credits
You’re married to or a civil partner of a member of the armed forces, went with your partner on an overseas posting after 6 April 1975, reach state pension age on or after 6 April 2016, and are not getting Class 1 credits	Apply for Class 3 credits

.............................

sheramber

molerat said:

sheramber said:

I don’t know if this applies tonher

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-insurance-application-for-service-spouse-class-3-credits

Partners of people in armed forces

Your situation	How to get credits
You’re married to or a civil partner of a member of the armed forces, went with your partner on an overseas posting after 6 April 2010, and are returning to the UK	Apply for Class 1 credits
You’re married to or a civil partner of a member of the armed forces, went with your partner on an overseas posting after 6 April 1975, reach state pension age on or after 6 April 2016, and are not getting Class 1 credits	Apply for Class 3 credits

.............................

Use this form to apply for Class 3 credits if after 6 April 1975 you were with your spouse or partner on a posting abroad.

molerat

sheramber said:

molerat said:

sheramber said:

I don’t know if this applies tonher

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-insurance-application-for-service-spouse-class-3-credits

Partners of people in armed forces

Your situation	How to get credits
You’re married to or a civil partner of a member of the armed forces, went with your partner on an overseas posting after 6 April 2010, and are returning to the UK	Apply for Class 1 credits
You’re married to or a civil partner of a member of the armed forces, went with your partner on an overseas posting after 6 April 1975, reach state pension age on or after 6 April 2016, and are not getting Class 1 credits	Apply for Class 3 credits

.............................

Use this form to apply for Class 3 credits if after 6 April 1975 you were with your spouse or partner on a posting abroad.

Use this form to apply of service spouse Class 3 National Insurance credits if:

• you are or were married to or in a civil partnership with a member of the armed forces
• you went with them on an overseas posting after 6 April 1975
• you reach State pension age on or after 6 April 2016

..........................

xylophone

Her pension is ~£420 per month

Per four weeks?

Her statement of benefits shows only Basic State Pension of around £105 a week?

A full basic is currently £169.50.

Under the old scheme and given her age (77?), she would have required 39 qualifying years for a full basic SP.

This could be reduced (but not to fewer than 20) by HRP.

Given that she appears to have very few  contribution based QY prior to SPA, she may well have received the HRP? 


 OP, your wife received became eligible for SP in 2008 (you were married at that time and she was your dependant)?

You have not  yet reached SPA?

 see page 8  (which seems relevant) https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a758e27e5274a6faebebd94/derived-inherited-entitlement.pdf

NSP actually commenced 6/4/2016.

peteduk

Thanks for all the comments.
Am working this afternoon / evening and more over the weekend so will review asap and reply.
In the meantime I note I missed the effect of HRP even if receiving child benefit and not paying NI. I thought it only applied if paying the reduced "married woman's stamp".
Thank you

molerat

peteduk said:

Thanks for all the comments.
Am working this afternoon / evening and more over the weekend so will review asap and reply.
In the meantime I note I missed the effect of HRP even if receiving child benefit and not paying NI. I thought it only applied if paying the reduced "married woman's stamp".
Thank you

Paying the reduced stamp generally meant HRP could not be claimed.  HRP only applied in the way it was originally intended to pre 2010 retirees  and reduced the number of years required for a full pension from the then 39 so with say 10 years HRP you would receive a full pension with only 29 years NI, if you had 10 years of contributions you would receive 10/29ths of a full pension so, at today's rates £58.44 against 10/39ths, £43.46, without the HRP.  A post 2010 retiree with the same record would have had the HRP converted to years and would receive 20/30ths of the full pension so £113.  A complication here is your age difference and retirement under different regimes.  Her annual increase letter should give an indication of how her pension is made up.  4 weeks "cat B" pension, a pension based on spouse contributions, would be £406.20.  Dates of divorce and marriage would come into play as well, complicated is a fair way to describe her situation !

A good read which would give insight into your situations https://www.ageuk.org.uk/siteassets/documents/factsheets/fs19_state_pension_fcs.pdf

peteduk

Thank you for all your advice. I'm sorry for the delayed reply but life is going through one of its busy periods.

My main takeaway is to follow up on HRP. I've read her NI record should show if any year was awarded HRP and none do. I understand that if awarded this may increase the proportion of the old state pension she is entitled to. 

I don't think she is entitled to any benefit because of her previous husbands contributions because she married me.
I don't think she is entitled to any benefit because of her overseas postingd because the timings don't qualify her.
I don't think she is entitled to any benefit because of my contributions because I am not yet at state pension age.

The document from molerate https://www.ageuk.org.uk/siteassets/documents/factsheets/fs19_state_pension_fcs.pdf 
only applies to women born after 1953 but my wife was born in 1948. (However I assume there is some overlap).
It mentions my wife will fall under "another state pension scheme" which is "more complex".

In answer to ponts queried:
My wife was born in 1948, 77 this year
I retire in 2027 and will receive the new state pension

Thank you again,
Peter