Thousands of carers could be eligible for a State Pension boost due to a National Insurance error. Pensioners who spent years raising children or caring for relatives have been urged to check their records as they might be eligible for a backdated payment.
BBC Morning Live highlighted that missing credits were found in more than 10,000 cases linked to Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP) - a scheme designed to protect carers' entitlement - after some people's National Insurance records were not updated correctly.
Average payouts and total arrears
By the end of March 2025, HMRC had identified 12,379 underpayments and paid around £104million in arrears, amounting to an average of £8,377 each.
HRP ran from 1978 to 2010 to help parents and carers build up State Pension entitlement. Before 2010, you needed 39 qualifying years of National Insurance contributions if you were a woman, or 44 years if you were a man, to receive a full basic State Pension. HRP reduced that number year by year. Each year of HRP removed one year from the total required, up to a maximum of 22 years.
How the error affected pensions
In many cases, HRP was not properly recorded on people's National Insurance records. This means years spent caring were not counted towards their pension entitlement, leading to underpayments when they reached retirement age.
One carer, who was at home with her child for 13 years during the 1980s and was claiming Child Benefit, told BBC that she received a lump sum of over £35,500 and her weekly pension rose from £120 to £180.
That's because HRP should have reduced her required contributions from 39 years to 26 years, allowing her to receive the full State Pension. Because those credits were missing, her pension had been underpaid for 16 years.
Who qualifies for HRP?
Earlier figures suggested around 194,000 people might be affected. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) set aside £1.2 billion, but only £104 million has been claimed so far.
Do check if you:
- Claimed Child Benefit for a child under 16.
- Were a partner of someone who claimed Child Benefit, while you were the main carer.
- Received Income Support as a carer.
- Looked after someone who was sick or disabled and receiving certain benefits.
You can check your eligibility by calling HMRC on 0300 200 3500 or using the government's online tool.
