My query relates to army pension of my late father. Hope this is the right forum for asking.
My late father served in the Army for some time before taking voluntary retirement. At the time of his death in 1991, he was in receipt of a small pension from the Army, which my mother was able to claim for a few years. However my mother herself served in the Military Nursing Service. After a few years she was transferred to successive distant postings which made it difficult for her claim my father's pension. Later, when she herself was close to retirement, she was advised by colleagues to not claim my father's pension at all, as it was a small amount, compared to that which would be due to her owing to her longer service and higher rank. Additionally, she was told that if she was in receipt of my father's pension, it would reduce the amount of her own pension.
As a result we have not claimed my father's pension since 1995. My mother is in receipt of her own pension along with a small disability pension owing to physical disability she suffered while in service.
Is it possible for us to now claim my late father's pension, given that we haven't claimed it for the last 21 years? Also since my mother mentioned in her documents that she was NOT in receipt of any other pension at the time of her retirement, would we still be entitled to my late father's pension? If yes, would it affect the amount she is currently receiving?
Thank you in anticipation.
Regards