Do You Inherit Your Spouse's State Pension When They Die?

What actually happens to your State Pension when your husband or wife dies?Most couples assume the surviving partner keeps both pensions. They don't. Your spouse's State Pension stops completely — and your household income can drop from £25,096 to as low as £12,548 overnight. You may inherit some of their additional State Pension through SERPS, but the rules depend on when they were born, and unmarried partners get nothing at all.In this episode, I explain exactly what transfers and what doesn't, how SERPS inheritance works, the tax trap that hits when you lose a personal allowance, and why a marriage certificate costing under £100 could protect over £3,000 a year for life.With over 25 years advising individuals and major organisations on pensions and retirement strategy, I've seen how the gap between what people expect and what they actually receive causes real financial hardship.Watch this episode in full on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@retirementandmoney