I get my own state pension as well as a private one. Next year my husband

[lilacben]

Is 65. Will I still get my own state pension still.? Will we both get our own pensions.?

[Ann]

Yes! We are in exactly the same position, OH gets his next year but I've had mine for 5 years. Couples are given separate state pendions now providing you acrued the correct number of national insurance contributions.

[Ann]

*pensions!

[lilacben]

Thankyou that is great news. For some reason I kept thinking we would have a joint one. X

[dzug2]

The answer isn't quite as simple as that.

If the state pension that you are getting is smaller than the one you would get relying on your husband's contributions then you will get the higher sum. Still paid to you - there is no such thing as a joint pension.

[gulliver1]

My husband has been getting a state pension of 164 for 4 years,
I have now reached 60 and have a state pension of 115.
But my husbands pension has been reduced to 109 is this normal,
We have both paid full stamps the whole of our working lives.
So we have only gained 60 with the two pensions added together.

[hc4361]

gulliver1 - was your husband also getting pension credit?
Was you working at the time he was receiving £164?

[THECORBYLOON]

Folk were able to claim extra State Pension for their dependent but since 6.4.10 that has not applied to new claimants. Folk getting the increase on that date continue to be entitled until 2020 when it will end. When the dependent reaches State Pension age they can claim a pension in their own right and if they have not paid enough National Insurance (NI) to qualify for a full pension, they can use their partner’s contribution record to increase it. Once the dependent receives their own pension, the increase that their partner is entitled to, stops.

In your case gulliver1, the pension your husband received would have included an increase for you, The rate before April 2012 was a basic amount of £102.15 and a dependent’s increase of £58.80, £160.95 in total; from April 2012, the rate is £107.45 and an increase of £64.40, a total of £171.85.

When you claimed the State Pension, you would have received a rate based on yir on contribution record and as you have said, as a couple, you are now better off.

[lilacben]

Many thanks for all replies. I get at the moment £123.34 pension. It is made up with something else I was entitled to but cannot remember now. So how much should my husband relieve.? And will mine go down then.?

[gulliver1]

hc4361, No I was not working, and no my husband was not claiming pension
credit, (whatever that is)...

[THECORBYLOON]

It does not sound like you are getting an increase for yir husband, it will be more likely Graduated Retirement Benefit and/or Addititional Pension. This means the amount you receive will not go down when yir husband claims his pension.

[factor-fiction]

There is a site where you can request a forecast. I've used it (although I'm nowhere near retirement age) and I got a printed statement in the post

[lilacben]

factor thankyou. I have looked on the site but get very confused.
Corbyloon, Thankyou very much again. Your explainaton is very good and helpful. I have looked at the graduated retirement pension. I did start work full time in 1965 and then leave at 1972 to have my daughter. Then went back to work for years after a gap. So prehaps it is the GRP I am getting. Prehaps my husband will also get it as he started work then also without a break.
Many thanks

[factor-fiction]

Did you go on this site, lilacben?
https://www.gov.uk/state-pension-statement
Although there is a calculator tool on there they will do a calculation for you based on all the records they have. i had one and I found I had a small additional state pension I'd forgotten about from my first job (only £2 a week but it all helps).
You just request a calculation.

[owdhamer]

My private pension has gone up 80p a year, happy days.

[lilacben]

owdhamer......sounds a bit like mine.! lol x

[THECORBYLOON]

Until 2010, folk had to be entitled to at least 25% of the Basic Pension to get any State Pension, so if you had only 24% you got nothing. It was mainly women who were affected and there is a fair few getting only Graduated Retirement Benefit (GRB) or Grad as it is sometime known.

The Grad is paid according to the number of Units held and each unit is paid at a set rate and it's about 12p at the mo. I know there are women who were just below the 25% threshold and who have only one unit of Grad so that's 12p a week they're entitled to.