State pension rates for very elderly parents

Aretnap

BlackKnightMonty said:

german_keeper said:

BlackKnightMonty said:

TwoGuitars said:

I wonder if anyone knows about the old rules regarding married couples and their state pension?  My Dad is 101 and Mum is 97.  She gets a higher rate state pension than he does.  They both paid their NI/stamps all their lives.  I think it is because on an old rule about married couples.  Can anyone shed any light on this please?

When did they retire; how many decades of state pension have they claimed?

I don't understand why that's relevant to the question. When they retired is certainly irrelevant and I don't think when they claimed state pension is relevant given at their age it is clearly before 2016. Or is there another even older version of the state pension rules that you think applies to them. Even if so with the information about their ages you can work it out near as dammit.

Your statement “ They both paid their NI/stamps all their lives.” suggests they only retired very recently.

Think a bit harder, you'll get there.

german_keeper

BlackKnightMonty said:

german_keeper said:

BlackKnightMonty said:

TwoGuitars said:

I wonder if anyone knows about the old rules regarding married couples and their state pension?  My Dad is 101 and Mum is 97.  She gets a higher rate state pension than he does.  They both paid their NI/stamps all their lives.  I think it is because on an old rule about married couples.  Can anyone shed any light on this please?

When did they retire; how many decades of state pension have they claimed?

I don't understand why that's relevant to the question. When they retired is certainly irrelevant and I don't think when they claimed state pension is relevant given at their age it is clearly before 2016. Or is there another even older version of the state pension rules that you think applies to them. Even if so with the information about their ages you can work it out near as dammit.

Your statement “ They both paid their NI/stamps all their lives.” suggests they only retired very recently.

You've now completely lost me, apart from the fact that I didn't make that statement it was the OP. I think it is clear that means their working lives.

Here's what I think this thread is about but happy to be corrected. The OP doesn't understand why his/her mum gets more SP than his/her dad. Lots of useful information supplied and the most obvious answer is that dad was contracted out and mum wasn't so gets more S2P/SERPS than dad. OP then seems to think this is the answer but it appears not as it was mum contracted out and not dad.

I think the key is that OP tries to find annual uprating letter which explains the breakdown of entitlement.

Silvertabby

Contracting out/SERPS only started in 1978.  Mum is now 97 (born 1928) so if she retired at 50 (1978) that  isn't the answer.  If she retired after 50 (TPS NRA was 60), then contracting out/SERPS will still be limited to post 1978 service.  TPS was also contracted out of Graduated Pension (1961 to 1975) and although that wasn't on a par with SERPS it still doesn't answer OP's question.

So many unknowns......  

BlackKnightMonty

47 years of state pension. Incredible!

Aretnap

BlackKnightMonty said:

47 years of state pension. Incredible!

47 years? How do you work that out? 

(Clue: "retiring" and "recieving state pension" are not the same thing)

SouthCoastBoy

BlackKnightMonty said:

47 years of state pension. Incredible!

Not sure where 47 years of state pension comes from? State pension age was 60 for women, 65 for men, so 37 and 36 years respectively at the moment.

Well done to both of them on reaching such great ages.

BlackKnightMonty

SouthCoastBoy said:

BlackKnightMonty said:

47 years of state pension. Incredible!

Not sure where 47 years of state pension comes from? State pension age was 60 for women, 65 for men, so 37 and 36 years respectively at the moment.

Well done to both of them on reaching such great ages.

Good fortune indeed 

Eldi_Dos

We have a much loved Aunt who is on her 42nd Christmas Bonus and it is the cause of a bit of hilarity when paid around the festive season.

I am sure it will warm the cockles of BKM to know the private sector is doing their bit too as she worked for a well known high street retailer and has enjoyed her staff discount most of those years, which came in handy at this time of the year when school uniforms and shoes were being budgeted for.

Nice to hear about the OP's parent's and best of luck to them.