State Pension underpayments were uncovered as an error at the DWP which meant many women did not get the sum they were entitled to. The issue arose for those in receipt of the old state pension, due to rules about how much a woman could receive. Married women who had a limited pension sum in their own right were permitted to claim a 60 percent basic state pension sum based on the National Insurance record of their husband.
“Letters go unanswered and messages say ‘Don’t contact us, we’ll contact you’. How long will it take to achieve repayment?”
Baroness Scott of Bybrook, a Conservative Life peer, was quick to respond to the matter, offering further insight into its progress.
She said: “My Lords, the DWP is working extremely hard on making sure that these underpayments are repaid.
“It is putting in a new team of 360 people to work through it, and we hope that all those underpayments will be paid by the end of 2024.
“We are fully committed to addressing the historical state pension errors and ensuring that the individuals affected receive the state pension they are rightfully due in law.”
Under current rules, once back payments are identified, the matter can be rectified.
However, individuals will only be able to receive backdated payments for the boosted state pension sum for 12 months.
This means many have missed the opportunity to receive years of potential increases.
The DWP is actively reaching out to individuals who may have been affected by the state pension error.
However, some experts such as Sir Steve Webb, former pensions minister and Lane, Clark, Peacock (LCP) partner, have urged women to take action themselves.
If someone feels they have been affected, then they can contact the DWP to gain further information.
A DWP spokesperson previously told Express.co.uk about the work it was undertaking regarding the underpayments.
They said: “We are aware of a number of cases where individuals have been underpaid State Pension.
“We corrected our records and reimbursed those affected as soon as errors were identified.
“We are checking for further cases, and if any are found awards will also be reviewed and any arrears paid.”
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