A detailed guide to State Pensions for advisers and others

42
An increase for a husband
Currently a woman may claim an increase for her husband on her Category A
pension only if he is aged less than 65 and the following apply:
• she was getting an increase of Incapacity Benefit for him immediately before
she qualified for her basic State Pension; and
– he is not earning or has an occupational or personal pension more than a set
amount; or
– he is not getting a benefit of his own (or if he is, the benefit payable is less
than the increase that could be paid to her (she will be paid the difference)).
• he must also live with her, or she must contribute maintenance to him of at
least the amount of the increase.
[SSCBA 1992 sections 83A and 84; Pensions Act 2007]
Increase for an adult who looks after a child
A person who is, or is treated as, entitled to Child Benefit for a child can get an
increase in their Category A pension for an adult if they need the adult to look
after the child for them. (The amount of the increase is the same whether the
person qualifies for a full or a reduced rate of State Pension.)
A person cannot get this increase if:
• they get an increase in their State Pension for their husband or wife; or
• their wife gets a Category B pension based on their contributions.
If the person who looks after the child has earnings or an occupational or personal
pension, these may affect the amount of the increase (see page 70 for details of
what counts as earnings).
[SSCBA 1992 section 85; Pensions Act 2007]
Increase for dependent children
The State Pension scheme no longer provides support for child dependants. People
should claim Child Tax Credit from HMRC (formerly the Inland Revenue) instead.
However, if they claimed an increase in their basic State Pension for a dependent
child before 6 April 2003, and it is still being paid, they will continue to get the
increase until they are no longer entitled. The entitlement will cease, for example,
if Child Benefit is no longer paid for the child or if it stops being payable to them
for a period of more than 58 days.
The increase for the dependent child is paid at the same rate, whether the basic
State Pension is paid at the full or reduced rate.
However, the increase may be affected if anyone else gets another social security
benefit which includes money for the child. It may also be affected if a husband,
wife, civil partner or partner living with the person has earnings above £185 a
week (for 2008/09).