A detailed guide to State Pensions for advisers and others

48
Widows
A widow may be entitled to a Category B pension, or an increase to her own
Category A pension, based on her late husband’s National Insurance contribution
record. The pension she can get from her late husband’s contributions will depend
on her age and her husband’s age at the time she was widowed.
If her late husband had put off claiming his State Pension before he died, she may
also be entitled to extra State Pension or a lump-sum payment.
(See also page 9 for details of Category A pension and pages 30 and 55 for details of
the additional State Pension and Graduated Retirement Benefit that she may inherit.)
Widowed while still under State Pension age
Widowed before 9 April 2001
A woman who was widowed before 9 April 2001 will qualify for a Category B
pension if she:
• has not remarried (or formed a civil partnership) before she reached State
Pension age; and
• was entitled to Widow's Pension or Widowed Mother's Allowance immediately
before she reached that age. (Widow's Pension and Widowed Mother's
Allowance were replaced by bereavement benefits for people who are bereaved
on or after 9 April 2001).
Widow's Pension can continue until age 65. Widowed Mother's Allowance can
continue for as long as the qualifying conditions are met. If a woman stops being
eligible for Widowed Mother's Allowance because she is no longer getting Child
Benefit for any dependent child of her late husband when she is over 45 but under
65, she will become entitled to Widow's Pension, providing she still satisfies the
other conditions.
Widow's Pension is reduced by 7% for every year that the widow was under the
age of 55 (or 50, if widowed before 11 April 1988) when either her Widowed
Mother's Allowance stopped or, if she was not entitled to Widowed Mother's
Allowance, for every year she was under that age when her husband died. For
example, if she was bereaved after 11 April 1988 and aged 50 when her Widowed
Mother's Allowance stopped, her Widow's Pension will be reduced by 35%.
A Category B pension payable to a woman who was getting Widow’s Pension is paid
at the same rate as her Widow’s Pension. (Note that when the basic State Pension
starts to be uprated in line with earnings, Widow’s Pension will continue to be
uprated in line with prices). The rate of Widow’s Pension is worked out based on her
late husband’s contributions and consists of a basic pension and an additional
pension (unless her husband was contracted out of the additional State Pension).
The amount of any additional pension included in her Widow’s Pension will be
reduced in line with the inheritable additional State Pension rules (see page 38).