Form E Pension Guide: Why You Need an Additional State Pension Valuation

You did everything right. Or so you thought.

You logged onto the Gov.uk website. You printed your State Pension forecast. It clearly showed your projected pension at retirement age. You attached it to Section 2.13 of Form E and posted it to the court, confident you'd ticked every box.

Two weeks later, the court registry sent it back marked "Incomplete – Pension evidence insufficient."

What did you miss?

You're not alone. This is one of the most common reasons Form E gets rejected—and it catches almost everyone over 40 by surprise. The problem isn't that you didn't provide pension evidence. It's that you provided the wrong pension evidence.

Let me explain what the court actually needs—and how to get it without losing another month.

The "Hidden" Pension You Didn't Know You Had

Here's the part nobody tells you: the State Pension has two separate components.

1. The Basic State Pension
This is the flat-rate amount everyone gets if they've paid enough National Insurance. As of 2024, it's around £203.85 per week for people who reached State Pension age after April 2016.

2. The Additional State Pension
This is the bit that trips people up. If you were employed (not self-employed) between 1978 and 2016, you were automatically enrolled in something called SERPS (State Earnings-Related Pension Scheme) or later S2P (State Second Pension).

This Additional Pension was based on your earnings. If you earned above a certain threshold, you built up extra pension on top of the Basic amount. If you were contracted out (e.g., into a workplace pension), you might have less Additional Pension—or none at all.

Here's the critical bit: the Additional State Pension can be shared in a divorce. It has a Cash Equivalent Value (CEV), just like a private pension. And the Family Court needs to know what that value is.

When you print a standard State Pension forecast from Gov.uk, it shows you:

Your total projected pension per week at retirement age
How many qualifying years you have
What you might get if you keep paying National Insurance

What it does NOT show you:

The Cash Equivalent Value (CEV) of your Additional State Pension
The breakdown between Basic and Additional components
The figure the court actually needs for Form E Section 2.13

That's why your form was rejected. The court can't assess pension sharing without the CEV of your Additional Pension. A forecast isn't enough.

How to Get the Right Document

You need to apply for a formal valuation of your Additional State Pension from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

This is done using Form BR19 (if you're applying for yourself) or Form BR20 (if your solicitor is applying on your behalf).

Here's the process:

Download Form BR19 from the Gov.uk website (or request it by phone)
Fill it in with your National Insurance number and personal details
Post it to the Pension Service (there's no online application—yes, really)
Wait 4–6 weeks for the DWP to send you a letter with your Additional State Pension CEV

Important: This takes time. The DWP doesn't process these requests overnight. If you wait until your Form E deadline to apply, you'll blow past the court's 35-day filing requirement and risk costs orders or delays to your First Appointment.

You need to apply for this valuation as soon as you know you're divorcing—ideally before you even start filling out Form E.

But here's the problem: nobody tells you this upfront.

Most people only find out about the BR19 form after their Form E has been rejected. By then, they've already wasted weeks and damaged their credibility with the court.

The Solution: Divvio Points You to the Right Place, First Time

When you reach Step 21 (State Pension Details) in Divvio, the software doesn't just ask you to "attach your pension evidence" and leave you guessing.

Instead, you see:

⚠️ You need a valuation of your Additional State Pension (SERPS/S2P).
A standard pension forecast is not enough.
Apply now using Form BR19—it takes 4–6 weeks to arrive.
[Click here to apply for BR19 →]

That link takes you directly to the correct Gov.uk application page—no searching, no confusion, no wrong forms.

Divvio also:

Explains why you need this specific document
Reminds you to apply early so you're not delayed later
Provides a checklist of all pension documents required for Section 2.13

Instead of discovering the BR19 requirement after your form is rejected, you find out before you even start Section 2.13.

No rejections. No delays. No wasted court fees.

Start filling in your Form E with Divvio and get the right pension links, checklists, and reminders—so your Form E is accepted first time.

Begin now →

Divvio is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. If you have complex pension arrangements or are unsure about your Additional State Pension entitlement, consult a qualified family law solicitor or pension specialist.