Peter124

I’m a US resident, drawing UK state pension, based on UK employment record and catch-up contributions. If I die first, will my wife be eligible for payments as a surviving spouse? We are both dual UK/US citizens, although my wife has never lived in the UK.

My initial thought on this was ‘no, you must be joking’. But the gov.uk website seems to say that it ‘may’ be possible, but I couldn’t find any further details.

Wondering if anyone has experience of this?

Thanks, Peter.

Glasgow Girl

I believe she had to reach whatever the U.K. state pension age was by April 6 2016, and if that is the case then I think she qualifies on your record. I don’t know for sure what that age was but somewhere between 60 and 65 dependent upon her birth date. Otherwise she has to depend upon her own record which if she never contributed NI’s In her own name then she won’t have any entitlement. So, yes it depends, call them and they should be able to clarify. She will get 100 percent of your US social security benefit in lieu of her own if yours was higher than hers.