Pension age
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Discussion

Quattromaster

Original Poster:

3,049 posts

234 months

Monday 29th December 2014
quotequote all
Hi everyone, wondering if anyone has an answer to this one.

Speaking with the mother in law over the weekend, and we got around to pensions, it turns out she is not getting hers, yet remembers getting a letter a "few yrs" ago, saying she would get it, details of her situation below.

Born 23rd April 1951

Widow for last 32 yrs, so gets a widows pension

Has worked, and still does, for the last 34 yrs, as a full time teaching assistant in a school

Still pays NI (I presume she not pay NI, nor her employer, if passed pensionable age)

Now according to various websites I looked up yesterday, she should have been getting her pension from 6th May 2012, yet is not. She/I have tried to call the pay roll dept of her employer but they off til next Monday.

The pension backdated is £19500 on its own, without the NI contributions.

Anybody able to answer the question, when should she start to get her pension.

The Leaper

5,720 posts

236 months

Monday 29th December 2014
quotequote all
QM,

Are we talking State pension, Teachers' Pension Scheme, or both? Once we know we may be able to proceed.

R.

PositronicRay

29,046 posts

213 months

Monday 29th December 2014
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Maybe she deferred it to save on income tax, you need to phone DWP.

Quattromaster

Original Poster:

3,049 posts

234 months

Monday 29th December 2014
quotequote all
The Leaper said:
QM,

Are we talking State pension, Teachers' Pension Scheme, or both? Once we know we may be able to proceed.

R.
Sorry, STATE pension, and the letter she got a few yrs ago says she should get it at 62 yrs old.

Simpo Two

92,952 posts

295 months

Monday 29th December 2014
quotequote all
62 years is April 2013 not April 2012.

Elderly

3,738 posts

268 months

Monday 29th December 2014
quotequote all
6th May 2012 was the date she could have taken her state pension from.

ETA unless getting a widows pension changes the normal pensionable age calculation.

Edited by Elderly on Monday 29th December 16:28

Quattromaster

Original Poster:

3,049 posts

234 months

Monday 29th December 2014
quotequote all
Simpo Two said:
62 years is April 2013 not April 2012.
And that Mr Simpo is why I'm confused by the whole issue, I'll let her sort it out, I'll get no thanks whatever I end up doing.

Elderly

3,738 posts

268 months

Tuesday 30th December 2014
quotequote all
Just (get her to?) enter her date of birth into the government state pension calculator: https://www.gov.uk/calculate-state-pension/y/age/f...

Quattromaster

Original Poster:

3,049 posts

234 months

Tuesday 30th December 2014
quotequote all
Elderly said:
Just (get her to?) enter her date of birth into the government state pension calculator: https://www.gov.uk/calculate-state-pension/y/age/f...
Already done that thanks, comes up she should have been getting pension from 5th May 2012, I just presumed they automatically gave it to you, and that you stopped paying any more NI contributions.

Didn't realise you appear to have to ask for it, I'm going to ring her pay roll office, with her beside me, early next week, when they are back from holidays.

Quattromaster

Original Poster:

3,049 posts

234 months

Tuesday 13th January 2015
quotequote all
Well, on speaking with her payroll people it seems her pension should have started, as we thought , on the 5th May 2012.

Seems she did not get the letter they sent, normal post, so decided she was either dead or did not want to take it.

Told she will get a cheque for the first yr, can whistle for the rest, needless to say she is now taking it up with the union rep at the school.

Shocking, wonder how many other little old women they are taking for a ride, when I say little old women I mean people who, like my MIL presume the system, and companies in general will always be honest and do the best for you.

Saying that, not once has she thanked me for realising she is owed over £19,000 and is now getting an extra £150 a week, perhaps I'll not bother next time. Families hey,

The Leaper

5,720 posts

236 months

Tuesday 13th January 2015
quotequote all
QM,

State pension has to be applied for. If not, the DWP assume that the pension start date has been deferred until a later date chosen by the person involved, and from the eventual chosen date an increased pension will be paid.

If your latest e-mail refers to the Teachers' Pension Scheme, as I suspect it does, then there are a number of matters that need to be considered. On the face of what you say there's no explanation as to why she has been paid one year and nothing else. However, there is a provision in the TPS, called abatement, where pension payments can be stopped or reduced if the person returns to work for any period. If your mother in law has returned to work after her TPS pension has started, and TPS is notified by your mother in law some time after she goes back, TPS will seek to reclaim the overpaid instalments, and there's plenty of cases where this action/reclaim by TPS is supported by the Pensions Ombudsman. I suggest that if you want to continue with things you find out further details from your mother in law and then phone The Pensions Advisory Service on their helpline 0845 601 2923 and discuss this with them and see what they say. They may ask you to write in and they will then investigate matters. Their services are completely free.

R.

The Leaper

5,720 posts

236 months

Tuesday 13th January 2015
quotequote all
QM,

I forgot to mention that in my experience in dealing with TPS matters and items of concern or complaint, the NUT is "not very good" (that's me being kind) in dealing with any matters raised by their members.

R.