How thousands of women are still missing out on £1,000 a year in state pension
Thousands of women whose husbands reached state pension age before March 17, 2008, are missing out on a payment boost of up to 60%.
Those women who paid the married woman’s stamp or missed out on contributing years can get a £1,000-a-year boost.
When their husbands retired at 65 before March 17, 2008, they had to make a second claim to get an uplift which could see them earn an additional £20 a week.
Pensions expert Steve Webb said: “It is shocking that the government knows that hundreds of thousands of older married women could be on a higher pension but has done nothing to make them aware in the fifteen years or more since their husband retired.
“I would encourage any married woman with a husband over 80 and who has a basic pension under £85 per week to check if she may be entitled to a higher pension.”
A DWP spokesperson said: “Our priority is ensuring pensioners receive the financial support to which they are entitled and the action we are taking now will correct historical underpayments made by successive governments.
“As upheld by a court last year, married women whose husbands reached state pension age after them, but before March 17 2008, are required by law to make a claim for an uplift to their State Pension.”
