Additional State Pension
What is it?
Depending on your individual circumstances, you may be entitled to additional State Pension (also called the State Second Pension and formerly the State Earnings Related Pension Scheme (SERPS)). As its name suggests, additional State Pension is paid in addition to the basic State Pension.
Up to April 2002, SERPS was based on your record of National Insurance contributions and your level of earnings as an employee.
On 6 April 2002, the State Second Pension reformed SERPS to provide a more generous additional State Pension for low and moderate earners, and to extend access to include certain carers and people with long-term illness or disability. (Any SERPS entitlement already built up is protected both for those who have already retired and for those who have not yet reached State Pension age.)
The State Second Pension gives employees earning up to £31,100 (in 2008/09) a better pension than SERPS, whether or not they are contracted out into a private pension, with most help going to those on the lowest earnings (up to around £13,500 in 2008/09).
When you make your claim for a State Pension any additional State Pension due to you will also be calculated.
What else should I know
If you contributed to the additional State Pension before April 2002 through SERPS, there is some important information you need to know about the percentage of SERPS that you may be able to pass on to your spouse or civil partner if you die.
More information on inheriting SERPS is available on this website or you can read or print our leaflet 'Important information for married people - Inheritance of SERPS'
You may pass on only a maximum of 50% of your additional State Pension from State Second Pension.
More information
To find out more about additional State Pensions (SERPS and Second State Pension), read and print A guide to State Pensions
For more information contact The Pension Service
You can read or print or request copies of our guides and claim forms on this website.
You can apply for a Pension Forecast by reading or printing the Pension Forecast form from our resource centre.
Other Help
State Pension
Pension Credit
Winter Fuel Payments
Direct Payments
Remember that this website is only a general guide to benefits and schemes and is not a full and authoritative statement of the law.