State pension is something most Britons will claim in their later life, after they reach state pension age.
State pension age is now 65 for both men and women.
But what happens if your other half, who receives state pension, passes away?
It has been revealed that the government has been asking widows and widowers for money back after it was sent in error to their deceased loved one.
State pension: UK government warns widows and widowers will be asked to give money back
The Department for Work and Pensions told BBC’s Money Box that letters had been sent to Britons who has lost their loved one.
While some Britons have panicked over returning sums of money to the government after they were paid in error, they do not need to worry.
The presenter of Money Box, Paul Lewis, said: “DWP demands relatives of recently deceased repay pensions that it failed to stop quickly.
“A listener was told she should pay £625 for grandma who’d died with nothing.
“DWP admits to @Moneybox it has no legal right to recover the money. But letters don’t say that.”
The government encourages Britons who have lost someone to use their Tell Us Once service.
This should mean any benefits being paid to their loved ones should stop quickly.
Can you inherit your partner’s state pension?
If you don’t qualify for the full amount you may be able to use you decease partner’s qualifying years to increase your basic state pension.
If you’re single, divorced, or your civil partnership was dissolved – and you die after you’ve reached state pension age – your estate will be able to claim up to three months of your basic state pension.
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Pensions: Everything you need to know about your pension.
How much should I put in my pension?
What is bereavement allowance, previously widow’s pension?
Bereavement allowance will apply to your if your husband or wife died before 6 April 2017 and you were over 45 when they diet – despite their age.
However, you must be under state pension age, which is 65 for both men and women.
Your partner must have paid enough national insurance contributions to qualify for state pension or have died due to an accident or disease related to their industry.
You will get bereavement allowance for up to 52 weeks after your other half dies and what you get is based on what they paid in and your age when they died.
If you are 45 years old the maximum weekly rate you can get is £35.13.
If you are from 55 years old to 64 then you can claim a maximum of £117.10 a week for 52, which works out as a total of £6,089.20 over the year.
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