State pension amount

hugheskevi

A very common issue, but fortunately one that is declining over time, as the proportion of individuals reaching State Pension age and due a full new State Pension is increasing rapidly. 

As at February 2025, from DWP administrative data:

Davecu

dunstonh said:

My wife has 38 full years and I have 41. I would have thought that anything over 35 years would be inconsequential.

That is where you are making a mistake.    You are using a figure of 35 years that doesn't apply to either 

Thanks for your reply. Why doesn’t the figure of 35 years apply? Is it because we contributed NI payments under both the old and new pension schemes during our working life? I stopped work a few years after my wife did. Is this why my pension payments are slightly higher?

pinnks

Does one of you have a birthday before 6 April and the other after 5 April?  If so, the one with the earlier birthday would finish their NI journey 1 tax year earlier than the other, because the last year that counts for pension purposes is the tax year that ends before the tax year in which you reach pension age, and thus receive a smaller pension, all other things being equal.  

Dazed_and_C0nfused

Davecu said:

dunstonh said:

My wife has 38 full years and I have 41. I would have thought that anything over 35 years would be inconsequential.

That is where you are making a mistake.    You are using a figure of 35 years that doesn't apply to either 

Thanks for your reply. Why doesn’t the figure of 35 years apply? Is it because we contributed NI payments under both the old and new pension schemes during our working life? I stopped work a few years after my wife did. Is this why my pension payments are slightly higher?

35 years is only relevant to those building up an NI history from 2016 only i.e. fully understand the new State Pension rules.

People with an NI record prior to this fall under transitional rules.

Davecu

My birthday is in May and my wife’s is in August, so both in the same tax year.

jem16

Davecu said:

dunstonh said:

My wife has 38 full years and I have 41. I would have thought that anything over 35 years would be inconsequential.

That is where you are making a mistake.    You are using a figure of 35 years that doesn't apply to either 

I stopped work a few years after my wife did. Is this why my pension payments are slightly higher?

If you have more years from 2016 onwards than your wife, it’s most likely to be the reason. For those people who contracted out it’s the years from 2016 onwards that improve the Starting Amount calculated in April 2016.

QrizB

Davecu said:

My birthday is in May and my wife’s is in August, so both in the same tax year.

I don't think you've yet told us how much you each receive, per week. Can you share those numbers?

Davecu said:

I stopped work a few years after my wife did. Is this why my pension payments are slightly higher? 

Did you work until state pension age, or did you both stop before then?

One or both of you might still be able to buy extra years of NI and boost your pensions.

Tassie_Devil

Davecu said:

dunstonh said:

My wife has 38 full years and I have 41. I would have thought that anything over 35 years would be inconsequential.

That is where you are making a mistake.    You are using a figure of 35 years that doesn't apply to either 

Thanks for your reply. Why doesn’t the figure of 35 years apply? Is it because we contributed NI payments under both the old and new pension schemes during our working life? I stopped work a few years after my wife did. Is this why my pension payments are slightly higher?

Previous posters have fully answered this. Have you read their responses?

Davecu

Thanks to everyone who helped me understand this complicated issue. We had previously queried it with the pension service and were assured it was correct but got no advice on why our payments were different. The standard explanation of 35 year’s contributions obviously doesn’t apply to everyone.

Mr_Benn

When we checked on the Government website, Im sure it tells you if your due the 'maximum' State Pension ? I was concerned Mrs Benn wouldnt qualify as she possibly had some years missing.  However, this thread has now cast a bit of a doubt, so Im going to have to check again what it said,.