Are you due a State Pension uplift?
A recent report has highlighted that some people, particularly married women, may have missed out on some of their State Pension entitlement. This problem has arisen because married women were previously entitled to a share of their husband’s State Pension, whereas under the new State Pension introduced in April 2016 they have to earn their own entitlements – that’s equality for you!* Some of the rights under the previous scheme were preserved however in some cases these rights have not been automatically applied as they should have been.
Not everyone has been underpaid but it could apply to women born before 6 April 1953 who receive a State Pension of less than £80.45 per week and
- Whose husband has reached State Pension Age (65), or
- Who were divorced when they reached State Pension Age (SPa), or
- Are over age 80
Widows who were born before 6 April 1953 may be entitled to a higher pension if they receive less than £134.25 per week.
If you, or your wife, fit into one of these categories we will be happy to discuss the situation in more detail in order to see if a claim might be made. Alternatively you can contact the Pension Service directly (unfortunately we are unable to do this for you as you are required to make a personal enquiry).
*Although to be fair they also paid less in National Insurance, the so-called ‘married woman’s stamp’
