The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is currently processing thousands of payments, with some individuals receiving up to £8,377, to correct historical State Pension underpayments. This DWP State Pension Boost addresses errors related to a former scheme designed to protect the National Insurance records of parents and carers, primarily affecting women now in their 60s and 70s.
The State Pension Correction Exercise
| Key Information | Detail/Statistic |
| Primary Issue | Failure to record Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP) on National Insurance (NI) records. |
| Mainly Affected | Women in their 60s and 70s who claimed Child Benefit between 1978 and 2000. |
| Average Payout | £5,000 per affected individual. |
| Action Required | Most individuals do not need to do anything and will be contacted by HMRC or DWP. Gov.uk |
Why Thousands Are Receiving Unforeseen Payments
The payments are the result of an extensive government exercise to rectify errors related to Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP), a system that ran from 1978 until 2010. The scheme was intended to protect the State Pension entitlement of individuals who stayed at home to care for children or a person with a long-term illness or disability.
These HRP credits should have been converted into National Insurance credits, which contribute towards a full State Pension. However, crucial data, such as a person’s National Insurance number, was often not included on Child Benefit records before the year 2000. This administrative oversight meant the protection was never correctly applied to many individuals’ NI records, resulting in a lower State Pension payout for decades.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) are now working jointly to identify and contact those affected to correct their records and issue back payments for the amounts they were wrongly denied.
Who is Eligible for the DWP State Pension Boost?
The correction exercise is focused on a specific group of people, although others who believe they were affected can also make enquiries. The primary focus is on individuals who may have gaps in their National Insurance record.
Primary Affected Group
Eligibility for this specific correction exercise primarily concerns individuals who:
- Reached State Pension age after 5 April 2010.
- Claimed Child Benefit for a child under 16 between 6 April 1978 and 5 April 2000.
- Did not provide their National Insurance number on their original Child Benefit claim.
This issue disproportionately affects women, as they were historically more likely to be the primary claimant for Child Benefit and to have taken time away from paid work to raise a family.
Details of the Correction Exercise and Payouts
According to official government reports, the DWP began contacting potentially affected pensioners in September 2023. The process is expected to continue through to the end of 2025. While figures can vary, analysis by pensions consultancy Lane Clark & Peacock (LCP), based on DWP data, suggests that around 210,000 people could be owed money.
While some cases involving complex family circumstances have resulted in state pension back payments as high as £8,377, the DWP has indicated that the average payment is closer to £5,000. In addition to the lump sum back payment, affected individuals will see their weekly State Pension amount increase for the future.
In a statement, a DWP spokesperson confirmed the government’s commitment, saying, “We have launched a new online tool to help people check if they are eligible for Home Responsibilities Protection. We encourage anyone who thinks they may be affected to check their eligibility.”
What You Need To Do
For the majority of people affected, no immediate action is required. HMRC is reviewing records and will send letters to those who may be entitled to have their records corrected. The DWP will then recalculate their State Pension and make any necessary payments.
However, individuals who are concerned they may have been missed, particularly those who were caring for a sick or disabled person and received Invalid Care Allowance, can proactively check their eligibility. The government has published guidance and an eligibility checker on its official website.
“The key is to check your State Pension forecast and your National Insurance record online,” said Sir Steve Webb, a former Pensions Minister and partner at LCP. “If you see gaps during years when you were at home with children, it is worth investigating further.”
This correction is one of several large-scale reviews into State Pension underpayments undertaken by the DWP in recent years, which have collectively uncovered billions of pounds in errors, often affecting women who reached pension age under the old system.
The ongoing effort to rectify these HRP errors is a significant step towards ensuring that thousands of people, mostly women who spent years caring for family, receive the full State Pension to which they are legally entitled. The DWP has stated it is working to process these cases as quickly as possible.
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FAQs
1. What was Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP)?
Home Responsibilities Protection was a scheme that ran from 1978 to 2010. It helped protect the State Pension entitlement of people who were unable to work because they were caring for children or a sick or disabled person. It was replaced by National Insurance credits in 2010.
2. How do I know if I am affected by this error?
You are most likely to be affected if you are a woman in your 60s or 70s who claimed Child Benefit between 1978 and 2000 and have gaps in your NI record for this period. The government is contacting those it believes are affected.
3. Do I need to contact the DWP or HMRC?
Most people should wait to be contacted. However, if you are over the State Pension age and believe you have missing years of HRP, you can check your National Insurance record and use the eligibility tool on the gov.uk website.
4. How much could I receive in state pension back payments?
The amount varies depending on individual circumstances. While the average back payment is estimated to be around £5,000, some complex cases have received over £8,000. A correction will also increase your future weekly State Pension payments.
