When a spouse or loved one dies, their State Pension claim does not automatically end. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) must be notified so payments can stop, but survivors may be entitled to inherit part of the deceased's State Pension or claim Bereavement benefits. Understanding these rules can help ensure you receive any additional payments you are owed.
State Pension Payments After Someone Dies
You must inform the Pension Service of the death by calling 0800 731 0469. Payments will then be stopped. Depending on the deceased's National Insurance Contributions and the date they reached State Pension age, you may be entitled to extra payments from their State Pension. If you have not reached State Pension age yourself, you might also be eligible for Bereavement benefits.
The State Pension provides a regular income for over 13 million older people across Great Britain, including more than 1.1 million in Scotland. Payments are issued by the DWP to those who have reached the UK Government's eligible age for retirement and have paid at least 10 years' worth of National Insurance Contributions. The State Pension age started a phased rise from 66 to 67 last month and is due to be completed by March 2028.
Inheritance: Basic State Pension
If your spouse or civil partner reached State Pension age before April 6, 2016, you should contact the Pension Service after their death to check what you can claim. You may be able to increase your Basic State Pension by using their qualifying years if you do not already receive the full amount.
If they reached State Pension age on or after April 6, 2016, or were under State Pension age when they died, you can use the “Your partner’s National Insurance record and your State Pension” tool on the GOV.UK website to check what inheritance you may be entitled to.
For single or divorced people, or those whose civil partnership has been dissolved, the estate may claim some of the Basic State Pension if the deceased died after reaching State Pension age and had not claimed their pension. In this case, the estate can claim up to three months of the Basic State Pension.
Inheritance: New State Pension
If you are widowed, you may be able to inherit an extra payment on top of your New State Pension. However, you cannot inherit anything if you remarry or form a new civil partnership before reaching State Pension age.
Inheriting Additional State Pension
If your marriage or civil partnership began before April 6, 2016, and one of the following circumstances applies, you may inherit part of your deceased partner’s Additional State Pension: the deceased partner reached State Pension age before April 6, 2016, or they died before April 6, 2016 but would have reached State Pension age on or after that date.
Inheriting a Protected Payment
You will inherit half of your partner’s protected payment if your marriage or civil partnership began before April 6, 2016, and their State Pension age is on or after April 6, 2016, and they died on or after April 6, 2016. This payment is made with your State Pension.
Inheriting Extra State Pension or a Lump Sum
You may inherit part or all of your partner’s extra State Pension or lump sum if they died while deferring their State Pension or after claiming it following deferral, they reached State Pension age before April 6, 2016, and you were married or in a civil partnership when they died.
Extra Money from Deferring State Pension
If you reach State Pension age and choose to defer payments while continuing to work, your eventual payments increase by around £660 each year. Additionally, if you have topped up your State Pension, your spouse or civil partner may inherit some or all of the top-up, according to GOV.UK guidance.
Check Your State Pension
You can calculate how much State Pension you will receive using the GOV.UK website. The New State Pension currently pays up to £241.30 per week (£965.20 per four-week pay period), while the Basic State Pension pays up to £184.90 per week (£739.60 per pay period). Over five million people claim the New State Pension, and 8.2 million claim the Basic State Pension.
