Your partner’s National Insurance record and your State Pension: Information based on your answers

You might be able to increase the amount of basic State Pension you can get if 1 of the following apply:

you don’t qualify for any basic State Pension
your basic State Pension is less than £169.50 a week

Your late spouse or civil partner must also have had enough National Insurance contributions.

If they reached (or would have reached) State Pension age on or after 6 April 2016, only their National Insurance contributions to 5 April 2016 can be used to increase your basic State Pension.

You’ll get the increase when you’re widowed, or when you claim your State Pension, whichever is later.

You won’t have got this increase if you were widowed before State Pension age, and remarried or formed a new civil partnership before you reached State Pension age.

Inheriting Additional State Pension and State Pension top up

You may be able to inherit a portion of your late spouse or civil partner’s Additional State Pension and State Pension top up. They may have some State Pension top up if they reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016.

You’ll inherit this when you’re widowed or when you claim your State Pension, whichever is later. If you were widowed before State Pension age you may also have received it as part of Widowed Parent’s Allowance.

Inheriting Graduated Retirement Benefit

You may be able to inherit half your spouse or civil partner’s Graduated Retirement Benefit (the earnings-related State Pension between 1961 and 1975).

When you can’t inherit Additional State Pension, State Pension top up and Graduated Retirement Benefit

You may not be able to inherit your spouse or civil partner’s Additional State Pension, State Pension top up or Graduated Retirement Benefit if all of the following apply:

you reached State Pension age before 6 April 2010
your spouse or civil partner died after you reached State Pension age but before their State Pension age
you’re a man who was married or in a civil partnership, or a woman who was in a civil partnership, or a woman who was married to a woman (unless your partner legally changed gender after your marriage)

Inheriting a deferral payment

If your late spouse or civil partner reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016 and put off claiming their State Pension, you may also inherit some of their deferral payment.

You can’t inherit any of your late spouse or civil partner’s State Pension if you were widowed before State Pension age and you remarried or formed a new civil partnership before State Pension age.

If you remarry or form a new civil partnership

You’ll normally keep any State Pension you’re getting through your previous spouse or civil partner if you remarry or form a new civil partnership after you’ve reached State Pension age. But if you’d get more State Pension through your new spouse or civil partner, you’ll get that instead.

Increase your retirement income

You might be able to increase your State Pension amount if:

you’re eligible for National Insurance credits
you make voluntary National Insurance contributions
you choose to defer your State Pension

You can also contribute to workplace pension and personal or private pensions.

Contact the Pension Service for help and advice.