Mums Pension In Jeopardy?

jennifernil

I have never worked other than helping out in my parents shop in school / university holidays and at weekends. Although they did pay me, I never earned enough to pay NI. My pension forecast said I was entitled to £19.
I was born in 1948 and we have 2 children born in 1970 and 1985.

However my husband is 6 years older and retired recently, so he can claim an allowance for me (the 60%) and I will get this paid to me once I am 60.

seven-day-weekend

Joey122 wrote: »

Hi,

It did not say the number of qualifying years but did say 18 years home responsibility.

Two questions:

1) If she worked for one year would this secure any of her pension?
2) My dad wants a divorce - WIll this affect her pension ? Will she be better off divorced? Not that this makes much off a difference to the decision of divorce or not but I d like to know.

No, one year will not be enough, she has to have worked and paid, or been credited with, 39 years worth of contributions including her HRP to receive a full State Pension. (30 years for people whose retirement date is after 6th April 2010).

I do not think divorce will make any difference to her actual pension, although as a single woman she may be entitled to Pension Credit which will bring it up to about £130 pw and she will be able to claim it from 60. (I'm not sure about any of this, so someone will correct me if I am wrong).

Joey122

What happens if you have say 20 years contributions?

Do you not get half the pension?

seven-day-weekend

Margaret, I know one or two people who have never worked, they have got married as soon as they have left school, had children and then just stayed at home whille their husbands went to work.

Although even my mum who was born in 1908 worked as a hospital cleaner and then a waitress before she was married, so I too assume that most people have done SOME work.

Joey122

Can anyone confirm seven-day-weekend comments on divorce and pensions?

I do not think divorce will make any difference to her actual pension, although as a single woman she may be entitled to Pension Credit which will bring it up to about £130 pw and she will be able to claim it from 60. (I'm not sure about any of this, so someone will correct me if I am wrong).

seven-day-weekend

Joey122 wrote: »

What happens if you have say 20 years contributions?

Do you not get half the pension?

Yes, you will be entitled to a half pension, but this is not as much as if you claimed the 60% on your husband's, so financially it is better to do that.

Although you would be able to claim your 50% from age 60 and not have to wait until your husband is 65.

Joey122

Thanks seven-day-weekend.

I m not being funny but can you claim 50% of state pension for the first five years and then 60% of husbands? Is this allowed?

I wonder why the forecast said my mum was not entitled to a state benefit - Full stop.

seven-day-weekend

Joey122 wrote: »

Thanks seven-day-weekend.

I m not being funny but can you claim 50% of state pension for the first five years and then 60% of husbands? Is this allowed?

I wonder why the forecast said my mum was not entitled to a state benefit - Full stop.

No, it has to be one or the other.

Your mum must have paid contributions for a certain time (I think it's ten years) to be eligible for any pension in her own right - HRP on its own will not be enough to qualify.

I stress I am just an ordinary person with a lay interest and knowledge in pensions and benefits; I am not a pensions professional and have no training in this, so PLEASE do not just rely on my information - ring the DWP and check with them.

However, I think what I am saying is correct.

furndire

In the 60's women who were married had the option to pay NI or just rely on Husbands contributions.

seven-day-weekend

furndire wrote: »

In the 60's women who were married had the option to pay NI or just rely on Husbands contributions.

They can still rely on husband's contributions if they don't work, and after 2010, men will be able to use their wife's.

What you are thinking of is the 'small stamp' which working married women could pay, which didn't qualify them for State Pension.