State Pension - Widower without stamps paid

AugustusMinimus

Hi. Just a quick question.

What is the position of a person who has now turned 66 and is getting the state pension along with her retired husband. Her husand has worked and has enough stamps up to get the state contributory pension.

On the other hand, the wife has never had employment and has never paid any stamps. Will she also get the state contributory pension on the basis of her husband having paid stamps.

What would be her position if her husband then subsequently died ?

Equality

The likely position is that her husband has a contributory state pension.

It is likely that he is claiming for her as a dependent wife (unless she has substantial income or assets in her own name) on his contributory pension. She can get her share of this money paid to her rather than to her husband, if she wishes. She simply needs to contact the Department of Social Protection.

She could apply for a means tested state pension and get this in her own right, depending on whether or not her husband and herself have assets or an occupational pension, as this is a means tested payment.

The means test for getting paid as a dependent wife on her husband's pension is considerably more generous than the means test to get a non-contributory pension in her own right.

Her husband has a contributory pension, therefore if he dies she should qualify for a non-means tested widow's pension, based on his stamps/prsi when he worked. The widow's contributory pension is payable on the basis of the stamps of either spouse.

AugustusMinimus

Ok. I've checkout with them and the man's wife is claiming as an adult dependant, as per the receipt from the post office.

In the event of the husband dying, could you just confirm that the widowers pension will not be means tested ?

Thanks for the reply btw.

mrsbyrne

In the event of the husband dying, the widow will not be means tested for the widows pension. I presume the husband is in receipt of the maximum rate of 230.30 for himself and 153.30 for his spouse. For her 66th birthday that 153.30 will increase to 206.30. This will happen automatically. If the husband dies, the widow will get 230.30 per week.

AugustusMinimus

Thanks for the replies guys.