Changes to State Pension for married people and civil partners

If you are not entitled to a full basic State Pension, you may be able to increase it. If your spouse or civil partner has some qualifying years of National Insurance (NI), you may be able to improve your basic State Pension.

Increased basic State Pensions for spouses and civil partners

You may be able to get a basic State Pension, or increase your basic State Pension, based on your spouse or partner's NI record. You could qualify to do this if all of the following apply:

you are married or in a civil partnership
you are not already entitled to a full basic State Pension
your spouse or civil partner was born on or after 6 April 1950
your spouse or civil partner qualifies for some basic State Pension
you have both reached State Pension age

Plus, for married men or civil partners only, you could qualify if your wife or civil partner was born on or after 6 April 1950.

How much you get will depend on your spouse or partner's National Insurance record. In 2012-2013 you could get up to £64.40 a week. This is even if you don't qualify for any State Pension based on your own National Insurance record.

You don't have to live with your spouse or civil partner to get the increase. And you don't have to wait for them to start claiming their State Pension.

What has changed?

Previously, only married women could get this basic State Pension. Married men and civil partners are now able to do this, as long as they meet the conditions.

Also, a married woman needed to wait until her husband had claimed his own State Pension to get any increase. Now, she is able to claim an increase even if he has not claimed his own State Pension. This is provided they have both reached State Pension age. These arrangements apply equally to married men and civil partners.

Getting credits towards your State Pension

When will this apply to you?

For you to benefit from this increase, both you and your spouse or civil partner must have reached State Pension age.

Also, if you are a married man or civil partner, your wife or civil partner must have been born on or after 6 April 1950. This means that if you are a:

married man, you could qualify from May 2010
male civil partner, you could start to qualify from April 2015
female civil partner, you could qualify from May 2010

If you are a married woman, you could benefit from this increase whether your husband was born before, on or after 6 April 1950.

The exact date that applies to you will depend on when both you and your spouse or civil partner both reach State Pension age.

Do you need to take any action?

Once you and your spouse or civil partner have both reached State Pension age, you may be able to benefit.

Once you have both claimed your own State Pension you should automatically receive any basic State Pension you're entitled to based on your partner's NI.

If you have not heard from The Pension Service when you and your partner reach State Pension age you should call The Pension Service.