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Pension question

I have been chasing up various pensions,bank accounts etc to see if there's any money still due.
One pension in my dads name with boots got back to me today saying they had located it but" as we were informed on your fathers death there was no spouse the pension was ended"
In fact my mum outlived my dad for several years so I can't help wondering if she was cheated out of some money by this wrong info boots had..more to the point can I do anything about it?
Tia
.
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Comments

  • xylophone
    xylophone Posts: 45,908 Forumite
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    One pension in my dads name with boots got back to me today saying they had located it but" as we were informed on your fathers death there was no spouse the pension was ended"

    Who gave Boots the wrong information? Why did your mother not query the lack of a widow's pension?

    You should write to the administrator setting out the facts and await the outcome of your letter.

    You may well find some assistance here.

    https://www.pensionsadvisoryservice.org.uk/
  • Silvertabby
    Silvertabby Posts: 10,542 Forumite
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    edited 13 June 2017 at 11:26AM
    Did your mum marry your dad after he had retired? If so, it may be that his pension records showed his marital status as 'widowed' rather than 're-married'.

    Like xylophone, I'm also suprised that your mum didn't query this at the time - or did she?
  • molerat
    molerat Posts: 35,585 Forumite
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    Were they still married and living together at his death ? Did they marry before or after he started drawing the pension and did they marry before or after he stopped working for them ? You need to write back stating all the facts and see what they come back with, in normal circumstances I would have expected her to be entitled to something but much may depend on those above questions.
  • Silvertabby
    Silvertabby Posts: 10,542 Forumite
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    edited 13 June 2017 at 11:34AM
    Looks like Boots only closed their DB schemes (to new entrants) from 2010, so OP's father will almost certainly have been in receipt of a final salary pension and all that entails.

    OP - can you post:

    Dates your dad worked for Boots
    Date he started to draw his pension
    Date he died
    Date he married your mum.
  • System
    System Posts: 178,403 Community Admin
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    thanks everyone..mum and dad were married at time of his retirement and death..she would not have queried anything as suffered dementia..boots not saying who gave them wrong info..
    This is a system account and does not represent a real person. To contact the Forum Team email forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com
  • System
    System Posts: 178,403 Community Admin
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    silvertabby..dad worked for boots before 1970 until approx 1997
    started to draw pension 1997
    died 2001
    date married 1950s
    This is a system account and does not represent a real person. To contact the Forum Team email forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com
  • xylophone
    xylophone Posts: 45,908 Forumite
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    It would seem that your mother should have received a widow's pension when your father died.

    You say that your mother was suffering from dementia - who dealt with probate/administration when your father died?

    Who dealt with your mother's affairs?

    Your mother has only very recently died?
  • Silvertabby
    Silvertabby Posts: 10,542 Forumite
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    xylophone is right. You need to take this further - the arrears could be paid to your mum's estate.
  • System
    System Posts: 178,403 Community Admin
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    Pretty sure my sister dealt with everything..she certainly lived with my mum.mum passed away 2007.. I have told this to boots they have yet to respond..I also contacted the pensions help site they said it may come under the 6 year rule which means nothing can now be done
    This is a system account and does not represent a real person. To contact the Forum Team email forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com
  • LHW99
    LHW99 Posts: 5,564 Forumite
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    Sometimes the 6 year rule has a "sort of" get out, that it can be six years from when the problem at issue was known about rather than when it actually arose.
    Don't know if that's relevant in this case though.
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