State pension married couple: How much do couples receive in the UK?

How much does a couple need to retire today here in the UK, and how much does the State Pension contribute toward that aim are both very important questions.

If you’re asking how much is State Pension for a couple or how much you and your spouse can receive if you are married and have some eligibility for the UK State Pension, wonder no longer. People who have reached retirement age and paid enough National Insurance contributions during their working years are eligible to receive the State Pension in the UK.

How much is the UK State Pension for a married couple?

How much is the State Pension for a couple? Let’s begin by saying that there is no UK State Pension married couple    figure as such. What there is, is the amount of State Pension that you are both eligible to receive individually dependent on each partner’s history of National Insurance contributions, as well as when you both reach retirement age. To get an idea of the amount you are eligible to receive, and when, you can use the government’s State Pension forecast tool.

So, how much is the State Pension for a couple? For married couples that are eligible to receive the full New State Pension benefits, the most they can receive per week is £442.40. For the majority of people, this amount will not allow them to maintain the same lifestyle as before they retired, which is why many people choose not to rely on state pension alone. Learn how to invest money to save up for a sizable retirement nest egg to make sure you are able to live comfortably after you stop working.

Who can claim the UK State Pension?

To be eligible for any State Pension, you typically require at least 10 qualifying years of National Insurance coverage. It is not necessary for them to have 10 qualifying years in a row. This means that for at least ten years you were employed and made National Insurance contributions.

If you meet those criteria, you and your spouse are eligible to receive one of the two types of UK State Pension – the Basic State Pension or the New State Pension, depending on when you and your spouse reach retirement age.

The basic State Pension is available to men born before 6 April 1951 and women born before 6 April 1953. Men born on or after April 6, 1951, and women born on or after April 6, 1953, are eligible for the new State Pension.

Is there a special pension for couples?

How much is a married couple’s pension? Is there a special pension for couples? No, there is no special State Pension available only for married couples. Current UK State Pension rules state that each spouse or partner in a civil relationship must accrue their own State Pension during qualifying years and is not permitted to receive benefits from their spouse’s State Pension. Though you might be eligible to get a larger State Pension based on your spouse’s NI contributions if you are a woman who made the lower rate “married woman’s contributions” payments.

Basic State Pension

How much is the State Pension for a couple? According to the gov.uk website, the full weekly basic State Pension is worth £169.50 per week, so the basic State Pension for a married couple​ if such a thing existed, would be £339 per week.

However, you may be eligible to receive more than the full Basic State Pension if either of the following applies to you: you qualify for Additional State Pension, or you postpone (deferring state pension) collecting your State Pension. Your State Pension may be subject to tax.

You will receive the new State Pension amount if you were a man born on or after 6 April 1951 or a woman born on or after 6 April 1953.

New State Pension

The weekly maximum for the New State Pension is £221.20, so, the answer to the question, “How much is the State Pension for couples,​ if such a thing existed, would be £442.40.

You can only receive more than the full State Pension if you: have over a certain amount of Additional State Pension (a protected payment), or you postpone (defer) receiving your State Pension.

Note that the New State Pension rules only apply to those who have reached pension age before 6 April 2016, otherwise the Basic State Pension rules apply, and you will receive a different sum.

If you have additional income, such as a personal pension or a company pension, you can still get a State Pension. Your State Pension may be subject to tax.

Even if you’ve saved money for retirement, you may be eligible for Pension Credit if you’ve reached State Pension age and have a low income.

Do husband and wife get separate State Pensions?

It’s not a case of how much is the State Pension for a couple? – because each spouse or partner in a civil partnership must accrue their own state pension by accumulating a certain number of qualifying years (between 10 and 35) in terms of NI contributions before reaching State Pension age.

If you’re widowed, you might be eligible to receive an additional payment on top of your new State Pension.

Since this will likely not be enough retirement income to meet your financial needs after retirement, consider adopting other pension options like personal pension schemes or self-employed pension schemes to make sure you are well taken care of once you retire. But to ensure you’re on track to meet this goal, you’ll need to contribute more than the current national average contribution rate.

You can get the peace of mind you deserve while watching all of your pensions increase in one straightforward pot through pension transfer. A pension transfer can offer you the clarity you need, to know that your retirement is taken care of, regardless of whether you have held multiple jobs, are self-employed, or simply want a better provider.

How much State Pension does a married woman get?

In addition to asking how much is the State Pension for a couple? – Another question that is frequently asked is how much State Pension will a married woman get if her partner dies?

If you were married to your spouse or civil partner prior to April 6, 2016, you might be able to inherit up to 50% of your partner’s additional State Pension or protected payment. Protected payments normally account for any additional State Pension accumulated and paid out under the new State Pension

Do I get half of my husband’s State Pension?

To recap: If your marriage or civil partnership with your partner began before April 6, 2016, and you reach State Pension age on or after that date, you will inherit half of their pension benefits. However, if you divorce or end your civil partnership, and file for a pension sharing order, the amount of pension benefits you are eligible to receive will depend on a court ruling.

Pension options for married vs. unmarried couples

The State Pension is of course not the only option when it comes to a couple’s retirement income. After all, the State Pension is now only designed as a fail-safe. It is unlikely to provide sufficient income to allow most couples to enjoy the sort of lifestyle they would wish to enjoy in their retirement years. It’s why getting your retirement planning right is so crucial.

Workplace pensions and automatic enrolment have gone some way to solving the problem, but even so, only partially. Now, as well as State Pension married couple income and workplace pension income, many people have income from an additional private pension on top.

FAQs

How much is the State Pension for a couple?

Firstly, the answer to the question, “How much is the couple’s State Pension? –  is that there is no such thing. Instead, it is the sum of the two individual’s pensions. The determining factors regarding how much you’ll receive are your history of National Insurance contributions, and the age at which both of you reach retirement.

Does a wife get a husband’s pension if he dies?

If you and your husband got married or entered into a civil partnership before April 6, 2016, and they reach retirement age on or after that date, you are eligible to inherit half of their pension benefits.

What is the difference between the New State Pension and the Basic State Pension?

Before you were close to State Pension age, it was challenging to predict how much you would receive under the previous rules, which included basic State Pension and Additional State Pension. With the new State Pension, people will be able to plan their savings and retirement considerably more effectively because you will know how much you would likely get much earlier in life.