Pension Supplement

The Pension Supplement (or Manx Pension Supplement as it is often referred to)  is paid in addition to the basic Retirement Pension, Widow’s Pension, Widowed Parent’s Allowance and long term Incapacity Benefit for people who meet the qualifying conditions set out below.

Basic qualifying conditions

To qualify for the Pension Supplement, you must:

• be ordinarily resident in the Isle of Man
• be aged 45 or over
• be entitled (or treated as entitled) to a qualifying benefit
• have paid relevant contributions in the Isle of Man for at least 10 years, or have paid relevant contributions for at least 5 years and paid relevant class 1 or class 2 contributions immediately before being awarded Incapacity Benefit.

Special rules, for people resident in the Island on 5 April 1999, allow Isle of Man National Insurance contribution credits to count towards the 10-year period mentioned above up to that date.

Qualifying Benefits

You must be receiving one of the following benefits or allowances from the Isle of Man Treasury:

• a category A or B basic Retirement Pension
• a Widowed Parent's Allowance  this benefit is not available for deaths occurring on or after 6 April 2017)
• a Widow's Pension (transitionally protected cases only)
• Long term Incapacity Benefit (only for awards of long-term incapacity benefit made before 1 April 2018, and you must also be getting the higher rate care component of Disability Living Allowance. The Pension Supplement cannot be paid with awards of long-term Incapacity Benefit starting on or after 1 April 2018 under any circumstances)

Relevant Contributions

You must have paid full rate National Insurance contributions in the Isle of Man as an employed, self-employed or non-employed person for at least 10 years before reaching state pension age. Reduced rate contributions paid by some married women and widows do not count towards the Pension Supplement.

For a year to count as one of the 10 years required, the National Insurance contributions paid in that year must be of a sufficient level for that year to count as a qualifying year for Retirement Pension purposes. This level is defined and changes each year.

Amount and payment

If you get a category A or B basic pension, the rate of the Pension Supplement payable to you is currently equivalent to 42.675% of the rate of your basic retirement pension (this is subject to change each year).

If you get a Widowed Parent's Allowance or a Widow’s Pension, the rate of the Pension Supplement payable to you is equivalent to 45.132% of the rate of your basic Widowed Parent's Allowance or Widow’s Pension (this is subject to change each year).

If you get long term Incapacity Benefit, the weekly rate of Pension Supplement is fixed at £40.68.

You do not need to make a separate claim for the Pension Supplement. Entitlement will be considered at the same time as your entitlement to a qualifying benefit is considered.