State pension

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My sister in laws husband passed away a month ago. She currently gets a small state pension and thought she was entitled to part of her late husbands state pension.
She submitted a form to the department DWP with the required details and has just been informed by telephone that she is not entitled to any of her husbands state pension. Something about she is over 60 ( she is 73) and that she is currently receiving a state pension. Her state pension is approx £78 per week. I have checked DWP website and from what I can make out she is entitled to around 60% of her husbands state pension.
Are they wrong, and when did DWP start ringing people up and telling them things like this.?
Any advice would be gratefully received.
 
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I think she ought to put in a claim for Pension Credit immediately.
 
yes definatly apply for pension credit it a benefit and opens you up to possible help with council tax 'housing costs and a free tv licence at 75 also insulation and new heating system grants and many other areas off help
 
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False alarm we think, it was a call from the bereavement dept saying she wasn’t entitled to anything from them.
I didn’t know that they operated separately. Fingers crossed that she is entitled to some of her late husbands state pension. Many thanks to all who responded. God knows how some elderly people manage to cope with gov agencies when they are not on line.
 
God knows how some elderly people manage to cope with gov agencies when they are not on line.

Agreed, however I have found that the government staff dealing with pensions are very helpful on the phone, they are used to dealing with bereaved partners/offspring.
 
Suggest that you have a really good look at DWP "Attendance Allowance"

Not means Tested

If your relative has to get support for anything, but especially a medical condition they may be eligible for £ 60 / week under this allowance
 
Trouble is most organisations will not let somebody act on their behalf for obvious reasons,and that in turn causes further confusion for the elderly.
They will accept written confirmation but not verbal unless the recipient is there to confirm. How do they know the recipient is genuine.?
 
All’s well that ends well, call to DWP and they sorted it out in a few hours. I was impressed how efficient and helpful they where, unlike our local council who do not seem to give a monkeys. They either blame COVID or BREXIT. That’s probably why an acquaintance of mine has just been made redundant and is as happy as Larry. He’s received a very large sum of redundancy payment and he was going to retire in 6 weeks.
 
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