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Adult dependency increases
What is it?
An adult dependency increase is an increase in your State Pension for a wife, husband or someone who is looking after your children, provided he or she is considered to be financially dependent on you.
If you are a married man, you may get an increase in your State Pension for your wife if you normally get some basic State Pension and she is not getting a State Pension or any other state benefit herself. Whether you get the increase will also depend on whether she has earnings or an occupational pension or a personal pension above a set amount.
If you are a married woman, you may get an increase in your State Pension for your husband if you were getting an increase in Incapacity Benefit for him just before you qualified for your State Pension. Whether you get the increase will also depend on the amount of his earnings (including an occupational pension or a personal pension), if any, and any benefit he receives.
If someone is looking after your child, you may get an increase in State Pension for that person, depending on whether or not you are getting any basic State Pension and whether you are entitled (or treated as being entitled), to Child Benefit for the child. Any earnings the person looking after your child has may affect the amount of the increase you receive.
Important information
From 6 April 2010, it will no longer be possible to claim an increase of your State Pension for another adult. If you are already entitled to this increase on 5 April 2010, you will be able to keep it until you no longer meet the conditions for the increase or until 5 April 2020, whichever is first.
If you claim your State Pension on or after 6 April 2010, you will not be able to claim an increase for an adult who depends on you financially when you finally claim your State Pension. This is because you cannot claim this increase before you have started claiming your State Pension.
If you would like further information on adult dependency increases please contact your pension centre