Hmrc to send out letters over state pension back payments

HMRC has announced that it will be contacting people who may be entitled to state pension back payments due to a historical oversights. The situation was highlighted when someone questioned

the tax body on social media about their mother's case, where there was an issue with her child support from the 1980s and 1990s. The matter likely relates to Home Responsibilities

Protection (HRP), with thousands potentially impacted by HRP omissions in their National Insurance (NI) record. This issue mostly affects women as HRP was put on a person's record when

they were off work for carer duties, such as looking after children, to ensure their NI contributions were covered, for their state pension. Previous Government estimates indicate that the

average compensation for these underpayments is around £7,800, plus a potential increase in your current state pension entitlement after your record has been corrected. In response to the

query, HMRC said: "We're writing to anyone affected by this so your mother should receive a letter in due course. "Your mother needs to check her National Insurance record. If

you need any further information you'll need to contact the NI helpline." HMRC has already been posting letters to those who may have been affected, urging them to put in a claim

for HRP to amend their records accordingly. The HRP scheme was in place from 1986 to 2010, before being superseded by NI credits. However, from 2000 onwards, it became compulsory to include

a NI number on claims, so if you lodged a claim for HRP after this time, you will not have been affected. Recent figures from the DWP reveal that there were £450million in underpayments in

the 2024/2025 tax year, with the majority of these linked to the HRP issue. Fluer Iannazzo, a money wellbeing expert and coach at Aon, encouraged people to check if they are due payments.

She said: "Anyone who thinks they might've been underpaid their state pension due to missing Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP) years should act now. The form to apply [for

HRP] is CF411 and can be found on the Government's website, with assistance also available online or via the Department for Work and Pensions' helpline. It could also be beneficial

to enlist the help of a trusted friend or family member during this process." Another financial expert, Kristian Manton from Octopus Money, also urged people to review their NI record

to see if they are owed money. He said: "If you suspect you've been underpaid - or a relative has - the first step is to check your National Insurance record and state pension

entitlement via your personal tax account on the Government Gateway. "Compare this against what you've been receiving. If there's a discrepancy, contact the DWP to have it

reviewed."