State pension boost possibility as thousands may be due a 'weekly uplift' - see if you qualify

The DWP is reaching out to more than 300,000 people who may be affected

State pensioners could increase their payments(Image: Getty)

Some state pensioners may be able to raise their payments by completing a straightforward DWP form. The department is contacting more than 300,000 people who could be owed money.

Many people have been underpaid their state pension because Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP) is missing from their National Insurance record. If you are affected, you may be due a back payment for the amount you should have received, along with a higher state pension entitlement going forward.

'A meaningful difference'

Mark Pemberthy, benefits consulting lead at Gallagher, said the amount payable depends on how many years of HRP are absent from a person's National Insurance record and how that has affected their pension entitlement. He added that even a small weekly increase can make a meaningful difference to retirement income over time.

State pensioners may be able to get an increase to their payments(Image: Getty)

HRP was an earlier scheme designed to protect National Insurance contributions for people who were not working because they were caring for someone, such as a child. It applied from April 6, 1978 until April 5, 2010, when it was replaced by National Insurance credits.

From May 2000 onwards, claimants had to include their National Insurance number when applying for support, so people who claimed after that point should not be affected. Mr Pemberthy said that even losing a small amount from a state pension can add up over time.

Gaps are not always easy to spot

He said the state pension is a crucial part of retirement income for most people, so even a modest underpayment can matter over time. He also noted that these gaps are not always easy to identify, especially for those who have been receiving a state pension since before April 2016, when pension amounts varied according to a person's earnings record.

The new state pension, for those retiring after April 2016, is the same for everyone, which makes it easier to see whether someone is receiving the maximum amount. This issue mainly affects people who took time away from work between 1976 and 2010 to care for children or someone with a long-term medical condition.

The DWP and HMRC are issuing a second round of letters to people who may have been affected by the missing HRP problem. They previously wrote to 340,000 people and are now sending another letter to some 311,000 people from the same group.

More than 25,000 people have had HRP added to their National Insurance record since the issue emerged, with over £100 million in state pension back payments paid out. Earlier figures indicated that the average arrears payment was more than £8,000.

Check your records

Speaking more generally, the financial expert said it is always wise to check how much state pension you should receive. He said state pension entitlement can be complicated, so it is worth reviewing your record even if you are confident about your finances.

He added that checking is relatively simple, and it will become even easier once the pension dashboard is launched, although that is not widely available yet. Anyone who may be affected should use the pension checker on the Government website. You usually need 30 years of NI contributions to receive the full basic state pension and 35 years of contributions for the full new state pension.

You can submit a claim for HRP to be added to your National Insurance record on the gov.uk website. If you have not yet claimed your state pension, you can use the state pension forecast tool on the Government website to see how much you are likely to get. If you are already receiving your pension, you can contact the Pension Service to make sure your details are correct.