Married women, married men and civil partners

If you are not eligible for a Basic State Pension, or not getting the full amount, you might be able to qualify for a top up to £77.45 through your spouse’s or civil partner’s NICs if you have both reached SPA, and either:

• your spouse or civil partner qualifies for some Basic State Pension (even if they haven’t claimed it); or

• your spouse or civil partner reached SPA on or after 6 April 2016 and has at least one qualifying year of NICs or credits from before 6 April 2016, even if they do not qualify for any new State Pension, or they have not claimed it.

You do this through claiming your State Pension.