Here are the key points:
1. Eligibility: The missing state pension benefits affect women who were married and reached state pension age (SPA) before April 2016. These women are entitled to 60% of the basic state pension that their husband receives at SPA. The current full basic state pension is £134.25 per week (rising to £137.60 from 6 April 2021). Therefore, the rate for married women claiming on this basis would be £80.45 per week (or £82.56 in 2021-22)1.
2. Repayment Process: The DWP has been reimbursing women since the issue came to light last year. An official repayment program began on 11 January 2021, and a special unit was set up to process claims. More than 100 civil servants are currently investigating the issue. However, the scale of the problem is much larger than initially estimated, with repayment costs potentially totaling £700 million in 2021-22 alone1.
3. Act Now: If you believe you are eligible, it’s essential to check your entitlement and claim any missing state pension income. These women have waited long enough, and the government needs to ensure swift repayments1
If you stayed at home to care for family, as far back as 1978, your national insurance (NI) record may have been hit with errors that could see you missing out on £1,000s in state pension payments. Below we explain how to check and claim.
The error has been highlighted by Steve Webb, previously the minister of state for pensions. It follows a new report published by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in July, which revealed that this latest problem was the "second largest" source of underpayments in state pensions.
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