119,000 Brits underpaid state pension told when they will get money | Personal Finance | Finance

Since 2021, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has been trying to correct state pension errors relating to several groups of people, including married women born before April 1953, widows and widowers and people over 80.

Pensions Age has reported that DWP permanent secretary, Peter Schofield, wrote to the Work and Pensions Committee (WPC) with an update on how many cases were outstanding. The update confirmed that the DWP completed the vast majority of reviews by the end of December 2024, with some remaining cases awaiting additional information. The DWP said that between January 2021 and September 2024, it identified 119,050 underpayments, totaling £736 million.

Mr Schofield said that because people have up to two years to provide any additional information, the DWP can expect to clear the small number of remaining cases during 2025-26, with the last ones being completed by the end of 2026-27.

He wrote: “We are dealing with these cases on receipt and anticipate all cases to be resolved by the end of March 2027.”

The DWP permanent secretary confirmed that the DWP will also publish the total cases reviewed, alongside the amount spent alongside the Spring Statement on 26 March.

The underpayments relate to changes in the state pension system, as previously married women could claim a 60% basic state pension based on their husband’s contributions, even if their own contributions were insufficient.

This resulted in some underpayments relating to mistakes with the National Insurance records of women who took time off work to look after children and claimed child benefit before 2000.

Those affected included married women who were born before April 1953, widows and widowers and people over 80 who do not receive a state pension of £85 or more a week.

How to claim state pension

Most payment will be made automatically. If you think you may have been underpaid the state pension you need to contact the DWP.