DWP are returning Pension Payment up to £12,000 for Women’s: Check Exact Eligibility Conditions

DWP are returning Pension Payment up to £12,000 for Women’s: Over 130,000 people have received a total of £804.7 million in state pension back payments due to historical government errors, according to a recent update from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). This correction exercise, which started in January 2021, has identified numerous underpayments affecting various groups of pensioners.

The Impact of Pension Underpayments

The errors primarily impacted three groups of people:

1. Married women on low state pensions – Their pensions were not automatically uplifted when their partner retired.
2. Widows and widowers – People whose pensions were not reassessed after the death of their spouse.
3. Over-80s – Pension entitlements for those over the age of 80 were not automatically increased.

According to the DWP’s latest update, the average payments to those affected are:

• Married women (Category BL): £5,553
• Widows: £11,725
• Over 80s (Category D): £2,203

It is important to note that a claim could fall under more than one category if there were multiple errors involved. As of the update, 130,948 underpayment cases had been identified, with a total of £804.7 million owed to the affected individuals.

Ongoing Corrections for Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP)

In addition to the errors mentioned above, there is also an ongoing correction exercise aimed at addressing missing historic periods of Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP), which led to incorrect state pension payments. Between January and September 2024, this exercise uncovered 5,344 underpayments, amounting to around £42 million in arrears.

How to Check if You Are Affected

While the DWP is contacting some married women directly, those who are widows or aged over 80 should check if they are entitled to any refunds. To determine if you’re owed any money, pension consultants LCP have developed a calculator that can help you assess your eligibility for a state pension refund.

Once you have used the calculator, you can get in touch with the Pension Service to find out how to claim your back payment.

Urgency of the Situation

Sir Steve Webb, partner at LCP (Lane Clark & Peacock), emphasized that the majority of those underpaid were women, some of whom had been underpaid for decades, with some never receiving the correct amount during their lifetime. He urged that the remaining corrections should be handled swiftly to prevent such issues from occurring again.

A spokesperson for the DWP stated that their priority is to ensure that pensioners receive the security they deserve in retirement. They also noted that the majority of cases have been completed, with only a small number still outstanding due to additional documentation being required from some customers.

The government’s pension correction exercise has brought back payments for over 130,000 individuals, totaling more than £800 million. If you are a married woman, widow, or over 80 years old, it’s important to check whether you are entitled to any back payments. By using the online calculator or contacting the Pension Service, you can ensure that you are receiving the correct amount owed to you.

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