Co Habiting and Pension rights

[Streetwise]

Good afternoon,

I had great help from the Forum when my partner died some 7 years ago,i was wondering if anybody could be able to advise as to any pension rights i might have now after the Denise Brewster judgement in the Supreme Court.

My partner and I lived together for 16 years before she died, at the time off her death we had 2 children 8-15 years old,when i asked her pension scheme if i had any entitlement to her pension they said no but that the children would get a third each of her pension while they remained in full time education up to the age of 23 .

Now that judgement was given in favor of Denise Brewster,i wondered if anybody thinks that i might have grounds for a claim on her pension now.

Thanks in advance for any input.

[Streetwise]

Re: Co Habiting and Pension rights

Have i posted this in the wrong section or is there a thread already started that i can read about this issue.???

[enaid]

Re: Co Habiting and Pension rights

Hi, just my opinion but don't think things have changed as yet going off this. I think the only sure way at present is to be nominated on the pension forms.

Wider impact

The result could have implications for the rights of co-habiting couples working in the public sector - including NHS staff, teachers, civil servants and police, although the local government schemes in England, Wales and in Scotland has already been changed.
Other public sector schemes could change their rules so unmarried couples automatically benefit from survivor's pensions without being opted in. They would still have to prove that, as a couple, they had been together for two years and were financially interdependent - for example, having a joint bank account.
However, it is still unclear whether this would lead to any retrospective change in the rules. This is likely to be dependent on another court hearing.
It will also be open to other pension schemes to argue that discrimination is justified in some circumstances, prompting some legal experts to suggest the impact could be limited.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-38904268

[Streetwise]

Re: Co Habiting and Pension rights

Thanks for the input, i as a cohabiter got nothing from the State or pension scheme,feel my children have been let down i no there mother wouldn't have wanted that, feel like we have been kicked in the teeth,funny how the rules are different in Scotland.