State Pension query
Discussion
Hi, sadly my father passed away very recently so I am helping mum organise her finances. My dad always took care of all the ingoings and outgoings so trying to train my mum at the age of 83 is going to take a bit of time!
Quick query and if anyone knows the answer it'd be much appreciated
My dad (86) had a weekly state pension of £129.83 (latest bank statement shows this). My mums is £84.40/week. I am wondering if she will be entitled to any of my dads SP (subject to NI paid).
Is there a way to calculate how many years my father paid National Insurance from his figure above? I believe the full basic SP is £137.60. I appreciate a call to the Pensions Advisory Service is the first point of call but being the weekend and a bit of time on my hands I thought I'd do a bit of research first.
Thank you
Quick query and if anyone knows the answer it'd be much appreciated
My dad (86) had a weekly state pension of £129.83 (latest bank statement shows this). My mums is £84.40/week. I am wondering if she will be entitled to any of my dads SP (subject to NI paid).
Is there a way to calculate how many years my father paid National Insurance from his figure above? I believe the full basic SP is £137.60. I appreciate a call to the Pensions Advisory Service is the first point of call but being the weekend and a bit of time on my hands I thought I'd do a bit of research first.
Thank you
I went through this in the family a few years back.
With usual provisos in place in terms of always paying NI whilst employed, your mother may be entitled to an increase up to the £137 / week payment.
Conditions apply mainly depending on when your parents reached retirement age before/after April 2016 when rules and calculations changed.
Pensions advisory is good place to start for info.
With usual provisos in place in terms of always paying NI whilst employed, your mother may be entitled to an increase up to the £137 / week payment.
Conditions apply mainly depending on when your parents reached retirement age before/after April 2016 when rules and calculations changed.
Pensions advisory is good place to start for info.
sly fox said:
I went through this in the family a few years back.
With usual provisos in place in terms of always paying NI whilst employed, your mother may be entitled to an increase up to the £137 / week payment.
Conditions apply mainly depending on when your parents reached retirement age before/after April 2016 when rules and calculations changed.
Pensions advisory is good place to start for info.
Thanks. I’ll give them a call in the next few weeks. My dad was self employed so not sure if and what NI he paid.With usual provisos in place in terms of always paying NI whilst employed, your mother may be entitled to an increase up to the £137 / week payment.
Conditions apply mainly depending on when your parents reached retirement age before/after April 2016 when rules and calculations changed.
Pensions advisory is good place to start for info.
Gaz, thanks and re Pension Credit I’ve done an online calculation but don’t know yet what savings they have or if ^^^ my mums pension amount will change. It is on the to do list though.
anonymous said:
[redacted]
The bills do come out by DD but I think some are in my dads name. I called the bank after my fathers death and a block was put on his account/s. A trip to the bank with my mum and the death certificate is on the to do list for hopefully this week. I'm hoping to set her up with a couple of accounts - one to pay the bills etc, and another which is secure so (hopefully) can't be scammed.
My mum is only 10 miles away so yes currently popping in daily
re Pension Credit - I asked my accountant about this and he said it's best to do this after all other stuff is sorted so can get an idea of finances/savings etc.
A500leroy said:
You also need to google widows pension, you should get a 2k lump sum.
Not heard of that one but will look into this, thanks If you are not already, you may wish to consider setting up a lasting power of attorney (for both financial and health).
When my father died in 2005, my mum like yours had very little knowledge of even the most basic financial affairs and having LPOA made thinks considerably easier than mum trying to do things herself even with my guidance.
When my father died in 2005, my mum like yours had very little knowledge of even the most basic financial affairs and having LPOA made thinks considerably easier than mum trying to do things herself even with my guidance.
TR4man said:
When my father died in 2005, my mum like yours had very little knowledge of even the most basic financial affairs .
I'm always amazed at this, especially as couples get older and inevitably one is likely to be left alone at some point. Surely each one should make an effort to pass on their skillset to the other, be it finances, cookery, how the washing machine works, etc. I'm 58 and have lost 2 male friends in their 60s during the last year. Both wives have been left wealthy but utterly clueless about the finances, where the money is, how to get at it, etc. It's been a nightmare. One was left with her own London home paid for, 3 rental properties, plus savings, but didn't have a pot to piss in for 3 months because she had no idea how to get to the money. The rental money was being paid into an account that she had no knowledge of. And her husband wasn't hiding it from her, or keeping her short of money. He just "looked after everything".
In our house, my wife and I have a monthly "finance meeting" where we go thru everything, sort out money that's come in, gone out, move savings about, etc. If I died tomorrow, she could step in seamlessly to take it all over. And I know how to cook and do the laundry.
I think it was the era that they lived in (they were both born in the 1920s) and to be honest I don’t think it even occurred to them that it may not be the best arrangement. It worked for them and many other families at the time. Dad went out to work and mum looked after the home and bought up the children.
On the other hand, if it was that my mother had died first, then I know that father would have needed some urgent guidance on how to use the various household appliances. He wouldn’t have had a clue.
They belonged to another world of which there are fewer and fewer survivors left.
On the other hand, if it was that my mother had died first, then I know that father would have needed some urgent guidance on how to use the various household appliances. He wouldn’t have had a clue.
They belonged to another world of which there are fewer and fewer survivors left.
TR4man said:
If you are not already, you may wish to consider setting up a lasting power of attorney (for both financial and health).
When my father died in 2005, my mum like yours had very little knowledge of even the most basic financial affairs and having LPOA made thinks considerably easier than mum trying to do things herself even with my guidance.
Good idea, thanks. I remember this LPOA thing was mentioned to me recently so need to look into this.When my father died in 2005, my mum like yours had very little knowledge of even the most basic financial affairs and having LPOA made thinks considerably easier than mum trying to do things herself even with my guidance.
TR4man said:
I think it was the era that they lived in (they were both born in the 1920s) and to be honest I don’t think it even occurred to them that it may not be the best arrangement. It worked for them and many other families at the time. Dad went out to work and mum looked after the home and bought up the children.
On the other hand, if it was that my mother had died first, then I know that father would have needed some urgent guidance on how to use the various household appliances. He wouldn’t have had a clue.
They belonged to another world of which there are fewer and fewer survivors left.
This. On the other hand, if it was that my mother had died first, then I know that father would have needed some urgent guidance on how to use the various household appliances. He wouldn’t have had a clue.
They belonged to another world of which there are fewer and fewer survivors left.
My dad used to do everything by either cash or cheque. He'd drop my mum some cash each week for food shopping. I suppose they only recently started using cards... certainly no computers for internet banking or managing of accounts. Everything still by telephone or letter. It's the way they felt in control of it all.
anonymous said:
[redacted]
Thank you mate TR4man said:
I think it was the era that they lived in (they were both born in the 1920s) and to be honest I don’t think it even occurred to them that it may not be the best arrangement.
They belonged to another world of which there are fewer and fewer survivors left.
The 2 mates I lost were born late 50s and early 60s and their wives were left in exactly the same position. Utterly clueless about finances, not a clue where their money is, or how much, or how to manage it going forward. Had never paid a bill, bought or renewed an insurance policy, nothing. They belonged to another world of which there are fewer and fewer survivors left.
Sorry for your loss Phooey. I went through a very similar experience in March when my Dad passed away. Thankfully he had written everything down before he went but it was still a shock for my 77yr old Mum and she has struggled to get her head around the finances ever since. On the SP question, I contacted DWP and it turned out Mum was entitled to some of Dad’S pension so hers went from £87/w to about £280/w - I think there was something about Mum being entitled to his SERPS if a I recall correctly.
Good luck sorting things out.
Good luck sorting things out.
s111dpc said:
I contacted DWP ... Mum being entitled to his SERPS if a I recall correctly.
In a similar situation, did try to contact them by phone, I was at home that week, eventually diverted to child care or something, said they will leave a message for pension people to call back in 5 working days. They left a (non) answer on my home phone the following week.Mum had hoped the "tell us once" form would have helped here.
So must try again... Thanks for the reminder.
Just spoke to the Money Helper/Pension Advisory Service Help Line.
They said.
You need to contact the state pension claim line on 0800 731 7898, and say that you want to know if there is any inheritable part of your father's state pension, your mother can claim. They will need your father's full name, date of birth, date of death, and his National Insurance Number, together with your mother's full name, her date of birth, and her NI Number, and ask them to investigate the matter, and confirm the position in due course. If there is an inheritable part, they should confirm the amounts involved and when her state pension is adjusted from and what the new rate will be.
ETA: Finally got through, said it was done as part of the "tell us once process", Mum should be receiving a bit more.
They said.
You need to contact the state pension claim line on 0800 731 7898, and say that you want to know if there is any inheritable part of your father's state pension, your mother can claim. They will need your father's full name, date of birth, date of death, and his National Insurance Number, together with your mother's full name, her date of birth, and her NI Number, and ask them to investigate the matter, and confirm the position in due course. If there is an inheritable part, they should confirm the amounts involved and when her state pension is adjusted from and what the new rate will be.
ETA: Finally got through, said it was done as part of the "tell us once process", Mum should be receiving a bit more.
Edited by davepen on Tuesday 20th July 12:53
s111dpc said:
Sorry for your loss Phooey. I went through a very similar experience in March when my Dad passed away. Thankfully he had written everything down before he went but it was still a shock for my 77yr old Mum and she has struggled to get her head around the finances ever since. On the SP question, I contacted DWP and it turned out Mum was entitled to some of Dad’S pension so hers went from £87/w to about £280/w - I think there was something about Mum being entitled to his SERPS if a I recall correctly.
Good luck sorting things out.
Thank you, and sorry to hear of your recent fathers passing too. Good luck sorting things out.
A call to DWP and they now have all the details to assess my mums SP. Thanks again to everyone
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