Pensions - how do we get entitlement from absent spouse

[miaow99]

My OH's mum is 60 now, and has been told that she isn't entitled to a pension because she doesn't have enough NI credits.

Her husband worked for 20 years whilst she brought up the kids, so theoretically this should entitle her.

However, he divorced her and went back to Bangladesh, and she can't contact him and doesn't have his NI number or payroll number, so DWP aren't being very helpful.

I have a feeling he may have an NHS pension too as he was a Doctor, but no idea how to find out about that.

Anyone have any ideas how we could find out about either the state or NHS pensions?

[poppynurse]

Was the pension not dealt with in the divorce settlement?

Can the children contact him at all?

[miaow99]

No, there was no divorce settlement.

He had been borrowing all the money he could from UK banks and moving it all over the Bangladesh. He disappeared off to Bangladesh where he had another wife, leaving nothing behind him except debts; the banks then took all the remaining assets (including house).

The divorce was granted due to abandonment.

He hasn't spoken to either child from this marriage either since.

[gizmo111]

She will be unable to claim the NHS pension as it should have been dealt with at the time of divorce.
Some information here about the state pension.

[miaow99]

Just found out she can get pension credit

The Pension Service - Pension Credit - Am I entitled to Pension Credit?