Claiming and Inheriting State Graduated Pension

You will have to claim your State Graduated Pension, see State Graduated Pension, at the same time as you claim your basic State Pension, see The Basic State Pension. The forms should be sent out to you automatically, shortly before you reach State Pension age (see article on State Pension Age). If you have not received a claim form and you reach State Pension age in less than three months, contact the Department for Work and Pensions on 0845 60 60 265 for assistance. Your State Graduated Pension will be paid with your basic State Pension, via direct debit into a bank account you nominate.

If your spouse dies, you may be entitled to a percentage of their State Graduated Pension. Currently a wife can receive half her late husband’s Graduated Pension when she retires, but a husband is entitled to his late wife’s Graduated Pension only if they were both of State Pension age or older when his wife passed away.