Dear LPG

I have recently become widowed and, even though at my late stage in life and considering my husband’s state of health, it is to be expected the reality is always a shock.    This whole experience was difficult as would be imagined but now that things are settling down again I am beginning to adjust.  I suppose we hear about the many things that have to be done at this very sad time but until you have been in the situation there is so much that really can’t be described.  Some of the pressure was taken from me because my husband left a will naming an executor and my children were around to help but not long after, I received a letter from the Pension Service which asked if my circumstances had changed.

The letter was pretty vague but supplied a pre-paid envelope and a request to ‘send your response and a covering letter in the enclosed envelope.’  The only hint that they were getting at the fact that I had become a widow was that the person that signed it represented the Bereavement service. 

I was a bit baffled by the wording of the request and wondered what the difference between the ‘response’ and said ‘covering letter’ should be, but I sent out a copy of my husband’s death certificate and a short statement to that effect.  I also phoned the telephone number at the top of the letter and was told that I would be entitled to a portion of his state pension depending on when he was born and how many national insurance contributions he had paid.

It was a relief because at such a time there is a lot for a newly widowed person to adjust to, and the financial aspect of finding yourself alone is near the top of the list.   I have to say though that while I understand that the letter needs to be somewhat vague because the authorities don’t want to be telling you what your ‘response’ should be, perhaps it would be better if they asked for the documentation that proved any change of circumstances because my ‘reaction’ can only be the same as any ‘covering letter’ they can ask for.

With everything else that is happening to a newly widowed person, the letter felt as if its sender was setting a bit of a test for me at an already testing time and, having phoned them, I have pointed this out.   I understand that their receipt of a death certificate should trigger the process but some people can be missed out of the loop.  They told me that even if one’s spouse died a couple of years ago it is still worth making enquiries to see if any proportion of their pension is due to you.  If it is, such a payment would be backdated.

I have to say that I had no idea about all this and, having gone through the experience, I wondered if there could be other widows and widowers who read your posts and are not aware of this fact. 

UB, Sydenham. 

UB has offered some information about the fact that most spouses are entitled to a proportion of their late partner’s state pension and  LPG has learned that a copy of one’s marriage certificate is also worth sending in reply to such a letter.  To get more information contact the pension service on 0800 731 0469 followed by an option button pressing exercise.

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