Department for Work & Pensions Benefits

Information about State Pension, Widow’s Benefit and Bereavement Support Payment

Extract from Department for Work & Pensions Leaflet BR2189 12/19 

Important Information you need to know 

• Money for other people
• State Pension rates from April 2020
• Pension Credit
• How income tax affects your benefit
• Widow’s Benefits and Bereavement Support Payment
• Changes you must tell us about

You can find out more information about benefits and services online at www.gov.uk/browse/benefits 

Frequently asked questions  

Why is someone else getting more than me?  Am I getting the correct amount? 

The amount you get will depend on your personal circumstances.  It is important you tell us straightaway if anything changes.

Money for other people: Adult Dependency Increase 

Adult Dependency Increase (ADI) is not payable from 6 April 2020.  The ADI may stop before then if you no longer meet the conditions of entitlement, or if the person you are getting the increase for reaches State Pension age.  You can find out more about ADI online at www.gov.uk/state-pension/what-youll-get 

State Pension rates from April 2020 

From 6 April 2020 the weekly amount of the basis State Pension or new State Pension (up to the full rate) will increase by 3.9%.  How much you will get is shown in the letter we have sent you with this leaflet.

If you get any of the following payments as part of your State Pension, they will increase by 1.7%

• Graduated Retirement Benefit
• Additional State Pension, including State Second Pension and SERPS
• Extra State Pension
• Protected payments of new State Pension

Increases for child dependants will stay the same.

Pension Credit 

Pension Credit is an income-related benefit for people of qualifying age.  It can increase your income to a minimum amount if it is below:

• £173.75 per week for single people
• £265.20 per week for couples

To see if you can claim Pension Credit, and to use our online calculator, visit www.gov.uk/pension-credit 

Extra Pension Credit may be payable to those with a disability or caring responsibilities.  You may also be able to receive an additional amount for a child or qualifying your person.

How income tax affects your benefit 

You may have to pay tax on your State Pension or Widow’s Benefit depending on the total amount of your income. You can find out more about income tax online at www.gov.uk/tax-on-pension 

Widow’s Benefits and Bereavement Support Payment 

GO TO:  Bereavement Support Payment: How it works – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Changes you must tell us about 

You must tell us straightaway if there is a change in your circumstances.  If you give wrong or incomplete information, or you do not report changes. You may be paid more or less money than you should.  You will have to pay back overpaid money when told to do so.  You could also be prosecuted or need to pay a financial penalty.  If we pay you less money than we should, we may pay you this money back.

If someone dies 

Someone must tell us if someone, or someone they are claiming for, dies and has been claiming:

• State Pension
• Widow’s Benefit
• Bereavement Support Payment
• Pension Credit 

About you 

Tell us straightaway if you:

• Change address, including moving overseas
• Change your bank details
• Get married or form a civil partnership
• Get divorced or your civil partnership is dissolved
• Are getting a Widow’s Benefit and you live with someone as if you are married to them or have formed a civil partnership with them

Tell us if you, your husband, wife or civil partner, or someone who looks after your children:

• Has a change in earnings, benefits, other income, capital or savings
• Goes into or come out of hospital
• Goes into prison, or are held in legal custody
• Starts getting any other benefit or pension allowance
• Goes into a care home

Tell us also if your husband, wife or civil partner, or someone who looks after your children:

• Stops living with you
• Is not living with you and your pay less for their upkeep than the extra money you get for them

About children or dependent young persons 

Tell us straightaway if a child or dependent young person you are getting Child Benefit for:

• Gets married or forms a civil partnership
• Leaves home or goes to live with someone else
• Leaves school or college, or there is a change in their education
• Is aged 15 or over and has not been able to go to school or college for more than 6 months due to an illness or disability
• Is aged 16 or over and is still at school or college and starts earning money from an employer (do not count part-time or holiday earnings)
• Starts getting another benefit, pension or allowance
• Starts an apprenticeship

Tell us also if:

• You or your husband, wife or civil partner start or stop getting Child Benefit
• You or someone else start getting another benefit that includes extra money for a child or dependent young person you are already claiming for

Earnings 

We do not look at any earnings you may have when paying your State Pension, Widow’s Benefit or Bereavement Support Payment.  However, if you are getting any extra money for children or dependent young persons, this money could be affected by any earnings that your husband, wife or partner gets.

Earnings we count from your husband, wife or partner include any income from employment, self-employed pension arrangements, a personal pension, or pension paid by an employer.

You must tell us if your husband, wife or partner starts work or claims a pension, or if there is a change in their earnings or pension income.