Hundreds of thousands of people have been affected by the issue
State pensioners have been urged to check if they are owed overpayments (Image: Getty)
State pensioners have been encouraged to check their records as they could be owed thousands in underpayments.
The latest DWP figures show there was a total of £450million in underpayments in the 2024/2025 tax year, with most of these relating to a particular issue with a missing element on people’s National Insurance (NI) records.
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This is to do with missing Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP), which historically was put on people’s records when they were out of work – for instance, women who were caring for children – to ensure they still get their NI contributions towards their state pension.
HMRC is doing an exercise going through NI records to identify people who were missing HRP, with thousands of people thought to be affected. The average payout to settle an underpayment is currently at £7,859.
Fleur Iannazzo, money wellbeing expert and coach at Aon, urged people to check if they are owed 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 is CF411 and is found on the Government’s website, with help also available online or through the Department for Work and Pensions’ helpline. It can also be a good idea to get a trusted friend or family member to support you with this process.”
The CF411 form is to apply for HRP, and once you have applied successfully, this can be added retroactively to your National Insurance record, potentially increasing your state pension entitlement as well as meaning you are owed payments.
Speaking about how much you could be owed, Ms Iannazzo said: “In the most serious cases where someone is on a full state pension, people could be missing out on thousands of pounds a year in back pay.”
HRP operated between 1978 and 2010, when it was replaced by National Insurance credits. From 2000, it became mandatory to have a NI number on claims, so anyone who put in a claim after this point will not have been affected.
How can I check if I have HRP missing from my National Insurance record?
Kristian Manton, financial adviser at Octopus Money, explained how to find out if you are missing HRP from your NI record. 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 WDP to have it reviewed.”
He also issued a wider piece of advice about checking your state pension, saying: “It’s important to check your state pension regularly, especially as it’s a taxable income.
“If you have multiple sources of income in retirement, it’s possible tax code errors or misreporting can affect your payments too. Staying on top of your records ensures you’re receiving everything you’re entitled to.”
