Widows Pension

[Lancashirelad]

Hi all

not sure this is the right section to put this, but seems to fit best here.

This doesn't affect me (least not for many years yet) but is something came up in discussion recently.

As i understand it:

A British guy is entitled to state pension on attaining age 65. (at the moment, i know its changing). - assuming he has paid his full quota of national insurance stamps.

If that guy is married, whether it be to a British or foreign wife, then the amount of pension payable is more than if he were single.

If he is or becomes an expat, some countries the pension is index linked, in others, inc. Thailand, it is not. So it stays at the level it was at the day he moved.

If the guy then dies, the widow, even if living in her home country, can receive widows pension until her death.

Now here's the question:

Assuming said wife was somewhat younger. She now marries again, another British guy. After some years, he also dies. Can the widow then collect 2 x widows pension?

Fact based replies rather than assumptions please.

[steve187]

all pensions now are paid as a single persons pension, no allowances/extras are allowed for dependents, be that wives or children. this changed in April this year. Wives living in UK or Thailand should be entitled to a pension when they reach retirement aged based on their husband contributions, as long as they have not remarried. so two persons as in your example would not be allowed. pensions are frozen in Thailand but not the Filipino's. full quota of Ni contributions are now 30years. Widows pension information taken from a government web site -

Widow's Pension is payable to childless widows aged 45 or over when their husband died. This pension is payable to widows whose late husband died before 9/4/2001.

Widow's Pension is also payable to widows with children when their Widowed Mother's Allowance ends.

and here -

Widow’s pension was replaced by bereavement allowance (see SE76173) for new claimants on or after 9 April 2001, but widows in receipt of widow’s pension before that date continue to receive widow’s pension.

Link to bereavement allowance here - http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBen...ved/DG_10018684