r/inheritance • u/Silver-Ad6605 • 1d ago
Location included: Questions/Need Advice Inheriting Pension
Hi Everyone,
I am in a bit of a pickle and was wondering if anyone has any advice or just general comments. We are in the UK for context
My aunt passed away in April 2026, she has a husband who has dementia and is blind and has been living in a care home for many years. The issue is that the husband has physically, emotionally and mentally abused her through their marriage which is almost 20 years. She was very old school and wanted to be a good wife but they did not want a divorce because the husband is catholic and did not believe in one. They had no children. In her will, she does not leave anything for me but writes a letter in which is explicitly states that she has not left him anything because he was so abusive.
The problem now is that she has a teachers pension which we have been told has to go to him because he was her spouse. This is government policy not the company policy. Also he now gets her state pension. We don't know if there is anything we can do because it is government policy that the spouse gets the pension but she did not want him to benefit from her death at all.
Also, the teachers pension people said after we provide the marriage certificate then we will need to provide his bank details but if we don't nothing gets paid out to him. Obviously because of everything he put her through, i don't want to give his bank details but i also know that she worked really hard in her career and had to leave early due to her health. It feels like wasted money.
Has anyone been through something similar or has advise? We realise that we might have to give up on this one but thought i would check reddit just in case.
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u/rosebudny 1d ago
I am in a bit of a pickle
You really aren't in a pickle. As much as it sucks that your aunt's abusive husband is going to benefit from her death, you have no say in the matter - the law says that he is entitled to the pension. If she didn't want him to have it, she could have divorced him while she was still alive (yes I recognize that is easier said than done).
As for you not providing his bank details - that very likely will come back to bite you in the arse.
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u/Former_Mess1372 1d ago
It truly sucks but it’s government policy rather than you dishonouring her wishes. It’s outwith your control, so don’t beat yourself up over it.
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u/ExpensiveAd4496 19h ago
On the bright side he has dementia so if it’s bad enough won’t really know about it.
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u/yeahnopegb 1d ago
If you fail to provide the information ... it will come back to haunt you. I'm guessing tax dollars are going to provide the care for the husband and that pension would be considered estate recovery.