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Part of:
Best Pensions and Retirement UK 2026
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| By Chandraketu Tripathi | Updated April 2026 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Marriage does not entitle you to a higher State Pension in the UK — since April 2016, each person must build up their own State Pension based on their own National Insurance record. However, there are several important benefits and rules specifically for married couples and civil partners regarding pensions: Pension Credit for couples with a higher guaranteed minimum income; inheritance of some State Pension entitlements from a deceased spouse; and the marriage allowance for tax efficiency in retirement. | ||||||||||||||||||
Key Facts 2026 New State Pension 2026/27: £230.25/week per person (full) | Pension Credit couple rate: £332.95/week guaranteed minimum | Surviving spouse: may inherit some of deceased partner's State Pension | Marriage allowance: transfer £1,260 of personal allowance between spouses | ||||||||||||||||||
State Pension for Married Couples UK 2026/27 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Since the New State Pension was introduced in April 2016, each person builds up their own State Pension based on their own National Insurance (NI) contribution record. The maximum New State Pension is £230.25 per week (2026/27). A couple where both have full NI records can receive up to £230.25 x 2 = £460.50 per week between them. If one partner has fewer than 35 qualifying NI years, they receive a proportionally lower amount — but unlike the pre-2016 Basic State Pension, you cannot automatically claim on your spouse's record. You must have a minimum of 10 qualifying years to receive any State Pension at all. | ||||||||||||||||||
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Pension Credit for Couples UK 2026/27 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Pension Credit tops up a couple's income to a guaranteed minimum if one or both partners are at State Pension age (66) and your combined income is below the threshold. For 2026/27, the couple rate of Pension Credit Guarantee Credit is £332.95 per week (£17,313 per year). If your combined income as a couple — including State Pension, private pension, savings income, and any other income — is below £332.95 per week, you may be entitled to Pension Credit to make it up. Pension Credit is widely under-claimed — an estimated 880,000 eligible couples and individuals do not claim it. It also unlocks additional benefits including free TV licence (over-75s), Cold Weather Payment, and Housing Benefit. | ||||||||||||||||||
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State Pension Inheritance for Married Couples UK | ||||||||||||||||||
| Under the New State Pension rules, there is limited automatic inheritance of a spouse's State Pension. However: you may be able to use your deceased spouse's NI record to increase your own Basic State Pension if you reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016 (old system). Under the New State Pension (post-April 2016), you may inherit half of any State Pension Top Up (Graduated Retirement Benefit or Additional State Pension) your spouse built up before April 2016. You may also inherit a Protected Payment if your spouse's New State Pension was above the full rate at their death. To check what you may inherit, contact the Pension Service or use the government's pension forecast tool. | ||||||||||||||||||
Private Pension Planning for Married Couples UK | ||||||||||||||||||
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Frequently Asked QuestionsDo married couples get a higher State Pension UK? No — since April 2016, each person receives their own New State Pension based entirely on their own National Insurance record. The maximum is £230.25/week (2026/27) per person. A couple where both have full records receives up to £460.50/week combined. You cannot claim on your spouse's NI record to boost your own New State Pension — unless you reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016, in which case some old Basic State Pension rules may still apply. What is Pension Credit for couples UK 2026? Pension Credit Guarantee Credit for couples tops up your combined income to £332.95 per week (£17,313/year) for 2026/27. If your combined income (State Pension + private pensions + other income) is below this, you may claim the difference as Pension Credit. Apply at gov.uk/pension-credit or call 0800 99 1234. It is widely under-claimed — always check eligibility even if you think you earn too much. Can I contribute to my spouse's pension UK? Yes — you can make contributions to your spouse's or civil partner's pension. A non-earning spouse can contribute up to £2,880 per year (net) and receive basic rate tax relief, bringing the gross contribution to £3,600. An earning spouse can contribute to their own pension and name their partner as beneficiary. Pension contributions into a spouse's plan can be tax-efficient if the receiving spouse pays a lower rate of income tax in retirement. What happens to my State Pension if my spouse dies UK? You may be able to inherit some of your deceased spouse's State Pension entitlements. Under the New State Pension (both partners reaching State Pension age after April 2016), you may inherit: half of any Additional State Pension or State Earnings Related Pension (SERPS) your spouse built up before April 2016; and a Protected Payment if your spouse's New State Pension exceeded the full amount. Contact the Pension Service for a personalised assessment. | ||||||||||||||||||
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| Sources: DWP, GOV.UK, HMRC, MoneyHelper, MoneySavingExpert. State Pension and Pension Credit rates verified for 2026/27.. Capital at risk when investing. April 2026. |
