Campaigners are demanding significant changes to state pension inheritance regulations, urging the government to extend benefits beyond spouses and civil partners.
Parliamentary petition calls for reform
A new petition has been launched on the official Parliamentary website, calling on the Department for Work and Pensions and the Labour Party government to overhaul current state pension inheritance rules. The campaign seeks to allow individuals to nominate beneficiaries including children, long-term cohabiting partners, or carers who currently cannot inherit state pension benefits.
The petition specifically requests that people be permitted to pass on their State Pension to chosen beneficiaries or offer them a lump sum payment, rather than restricting inheritance solely to spouses or civil partners as under present regulations.
Current system excludes vulnerable dependents
Under existing rules, State Pension benefits can only be inherited by a married partner or civil partner. This automatically excludes unmarried partners, adult children, and other dependents - even when they were financially dependent on the deceased.
Campaigners highlight that many people support adult children with disabilities or are cared for by someone other than a spouse. The petition states: "We believe in having a system that recognises real-world relationships and dependency; allowing people to nominate a beneficiary could help protect vulnerable loved ones from financial hardship after bereavement."
Complex existing inheritance rules
The current State Pension inheritance system varies depending on when a person reached, or would have reached, State Pension age. For those who reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016, the old rules apply with two components:
- The basic State Pension
- The additional State Pension (previously known as State Second Pension, SERPS, and Graduated Retirement Benefit)
What can be inherited depends on when the deceased reached State Pension age and marital status. Partners might inherit extra State Pension or a lump sum if the deceased had deferred taking their pension.
The campaign continues to gather signatures, putting pressure on the DWP to modernise inheritance rules to better reflect contemporary family structures and dependencies across the UK.
