widows allowance

[Big I]

I recently became a widow in March this year and I currently receive �60 a week widows allowance.What happens after the year has ended?

[Dassie]

Firstly my condolences. I stand corrected, but as far as I know the allowance is only payable for one year and then it ceases.

[Big I]

Many thanks for your kind thoughts

I just wondered what am I supposed to when the year is up? Maybe Im expected to get a second job.

[Dassie]

Do you not get a pension from your late husband's work ?

[Big I]

no he was 66. 14 years older than me, it seems the widows pension stopped in 2001what i am receiving replaced it. I do work full time but that wont cover the cost of all my outgoings

[Dassie]

I was actually referring to a private pension that one would normally pay into through one's workplace for retirement, in addition to the State pension. I presume he retired at 65 therefore was he not getting a pension from his old company for whom he worked?

[Willow Tree]

If your not keen to get a second job at your age, maybe could go down to your local Citizens Advice Bureau, as you could possibly get your rent/mortgage and council tax payments down. Its worth a try. x

[Big I]

Dassie. not he had not retired he was still working up to six weeks before he died, but many thanks for your help

Willow tree I have booked an appointment with cab thank you x

[shopper]

the Government stopped paying Widows pension because a man called Mr Wilding went to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, claiming the British law discriminated aginst men who were widowers. Before the case was heard , the Government agreed to settle out of court, and paid him �14,573. as well as �5000 legal costs. This was reported in the Daily Mail newspaper in Febuary 2002. The implications of this meant that rather than pay widows AND widowers, the Government stopped Widows pension for anyone who became widowed after April 2001. They changed the name of the benifit to Berevement Benifit, Payable for l year only. My husband died in August 2001, 4 months after the new rules came in . I worked part-time, and took on extra hours at work. I agree that you should go to the CAB and get all the benifits you are entitled to . I will never vote for this Government again, ever. Good Luck.

[Big I]

shopper,
many thanks for your comments i must admit i feel the same as you, i have worked since the age of 15 and 52 now my husband claimed just one years pension, I wonder what happens to all the money he would have claimed if he had lived till he was say 80

[shopper]

Hi Big I. Your husbands pension has gone the same way that my husbands did. Into the Governments pockets. He was 61 when he died , worked all his life, and never claimed anything. I am five years younger so didnt claim my pension until last year. Because Ive also worked since I was 15 I received the full amount of �82. 50p retirement pension based on my own contributions. I rang and asked why I wasnt also receiving a share of my husbands pension, but was told that if I hadnt payed in enough money to get the full pension, then his contributions would have been used to make the pension up to the full amount. So all his national insurance contributions that he paid for 46 years have just dissapeared. It makes me so mad,when people who are able to work, but are to lazy to get a job are just handed money. My money. By the way Im still working.

[Big I]

Hi shopper,

Nice to know Im not alone, maybe I should do a roof top protest (only joking) I cant retire until Im 63 years and 8 months due to the new retirement laws seems I cant win., mind you I would rather work than sit on my backside. Lucky for me I have 4 very supportive children youngest being 18 in August, so she is still at home but having just finished an apprentiship on �60 still needs looking after and clothing until she can pursue her career as the company she worked for couldnt afford to keep her on but they managed to take on another trainee who like my daughter did gets paid by the Gorverment (work based training. The mind boogles. Anyway lovely talking to you its nice to no Im not alone in my thoughts about the Government System

[sad56]

I was widowed in January this year and received the Bereavement allowance which is due to finish January 2011. I now find that I will receive no more from our Government until I reach retirement age. I am 56 my husband was 55 and paid all his contributions to date, I ask what happened to all his paid contributions - I gave up my job (10 months prior to his sudden death), both of us thinking we were now in a position for me to pack up work how wrong were we, it looks like I will now need to look for a full time job until I am 64 which is the age I will pick up my state pension. I thank the Government for looking after the hard working!!