Summary and Background State Pensions Measures Changes
29.The Act removes the restriction on a person’s entitlement to a Category B pension that their spouse or civil partner must have made a claim for their Category A pension. The change will have effect from 6 April 2010. As a result, where one member of a married couple or civil partnership has deferred his or her Category A pension and the other member has reached pension age, the other member will have the choice of claiming a Category B pension (and where applicable any Category A pension based on their own contributions) or deferring their Category B pension (and any Category A pension to which they are also entitled) in order to accrue either increments or a lump sum.
30.As a consequence of other changes made by the Act, the extent to which people will be reliant on Category B pensions derived from their spouse’s or civil partner’s contributions will be significantly reduced.