Late Husband's pension fund surprised I wanted my widows pension.

[Sueday50]

My husband passed away in 1997 and according to his contract of employment I will be entitled to a widows pension amounting to about £7,000 per year from when he would have been 60 in October 2012.
I was issued a letter saying the trustees would be in contact in early in 2012 but I contacted them when no letter arrived.
The trustees have agreed that the pension is payable but they have said after 15 years they would have thought I would have got married again and have no need for the widows pension.
They have also said I am the only person to claim a widows pension after all this time and they are surprised I wanted it.
When I spoke to the person they did also state the pension would have still been payable if I had married again.
I am just wandering in reality how many people would not claim a widows pension if they are entitled to it?.

Sue

[jno]

frankly, that's weird... are they hoping people will just forget?

[DTCwordfan]

Ignorance is bliss

particularly when it comes to finance companies and institutions looking to pull a fast one.

Hang in there for your rights, your OH put all that money in to the fund for such contingency and, eventually, a pension.

[jomifl]

They were probably hoping to put it on one side for their bonus fund.
A few years after moving away from home I went to my old bank to empty my current account of the few remaining quids. I was told that the account didn't exist. When I spoke to the manager in quite strong terms he admitted sheepishly that the account had been declared moribund and did really exist then kindly let me have my money. They are all the same, they will try to wheedle their way out of paying up, send them a very strong letter and copy it.

[Sueday50]

Hi DTcrosswordfan

I don't think I can take the money out of the fund.
A pension is payable amounting to £7,000 a year index linked.
I could live another 30 years.
If that happens and the pension fund had got away without paying, it would have saved £210,000 plus inflation rises.

Sue

[buildersmate]

You have every right to the pension and the trustees' response is surprising, I feel.

[dzug2]

It's possible that they were saying (rather clumsily) that they had not previously encountered so long a period between being widowed and being eligible to receive the pension

Wouldn't have thought it that unusual though

[cathfromsaron]

have you thought of contacting a consumer rights programme, like radio 4s moneybox or the daily mail?

this stinks!

[factor-fiction]

I don't understand why his age was relevant- shouldn't you have received a widow's pension from the time he died?

[Sueday50]

Hi Factor30

Under my husbands scheme I got a basic death in service lump sum.
There were various options but I decided to take the option of a pension from when my husband would have been 60.
I remember speaking to the pensions person and he said most younger people would have taken a higher lump sum and no pension but people closer to pension age took the basic lump sum and the pension.
I was in my mid 40's at the time and he recomended I took the pension if money was not an immediate problem.
This man has now retired but the present staff have grudgingly agreed that the pension will be paid in accordance with the agreement.

Sue

[factor-fiction]

I wonder whether there has been some misunderstanding here. I find it very hard to believe that pension scheme trustees would act in this way. If it did happen in the way you say I doubt very much that it would be the norm.
By the way- the question and style seem familiar- have you posted before under a different name?

[Bexflower]

If you are entitled to it then obviously you should be in my opinion able to claim for it as long as everything legally is correct.

[factor-fiction]

We've all been duped again on this thread