State Second Pension

In addition to the basic State Pension (see The Basic State Pension), the government has an additional pension benefit, the State Second Pension. This is a top-up to the basic pension. Your entitlement to the State Second Pension (see State Second Pension Entitlement) is based on how much you earn each year, and where these earnings fall on the government's earnings scale (see The Earnings Scale). Calculating the value of your State Second Pension is complicated (see Calculating State Second Pension), because the scheme has undergone several revisions. There are also further changes to the State Second Pension system planned: see Future Changes to State Second Pension for more information. You should automatically be sent details of how to claim your State Second Pension when you reach State Pension Age. For more details see Claiming State Second Pension. If your partner has died and you are concerned about the rules regarding inheritance of their State Second Pension, see Inheriting State Second Pension.