Latest news with #HRP
Metro
3 days ago
- General
- Metro
Here's how you can find out if you're owed money from your state pension
Most of the people impacted by this are women (Picture: Getty Images) Listen to article Listen to article Your browser does not support the audio element. Thousands of people could have missed out on payments towards their state pension. Parents and carers who took time off work to look after children before 2010 may not have received all of the state pension payments they were owed. This is due to gaps in their National Insurance records – and only about 12,300 people have received their back payments. The gap in payments has been linked to Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP) – Metro explains what that is and how to find out if you're due some cash. What is Home Responsibilities Protection? HRP was designed to help parents and carers build up their state pensions while out of work to look after children or disabled adults. Those affected are being sent letters – but you can also check your eligibility online (Picture: Getty Images) The scheme was in place between 1978 and 2010. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Up Next Previous Page Next Page HRP was replaced by National Insurance credits in 2010, which automatically protect state pension entitlement if you claim child benefit and provide your NI number. What caused the error and how has it been fixed? These credits weren't properly recorded on people's National Insurance records in many cases – especially if child benefit claims made before May 2000 didn't include a NI number. This means some people may now be receiving a smaller state pension than they should – and the impact is mainly being felt by women. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) are working together to try and fix the problem. They are identifying people affected by missing HRP credits and updating their National Insurance records, so their state pension can be recalculated. In its 2024 annual report, the DWP estimated about 194,000 could be affected by the HRP error. It set aside £1.15billion to try and fix the problem. As of March 31 of this year, a total of 12,379 people have been repaid an average of £8,377. Why haven't eligible people claimed back their cash? You could be owed thousands (Picture: Getty Images) Letters have been sent out to people who are already over the state pension age, while HMRC continues to contact others who might be eligible. The government thinks it could take until 2027-8 to fully reimburse everyone who is owed money. Very few people who have received a letter about the error have gone on to make claims – and the government found many of those didn't understand the letters or recognise the term HRP. Others were worried the letter could be a scam, and some found the online process of claiming difficult to navigate. How do you check if you're eligible? There are plenty of eligible people who simply assumed they would not be eligible for the cash. If you're unsure, you should use the online checker to find out. You don't have to have received a letter to check your record. If you are eligible, HMRC will update your record and the DWP will recalculate how much state pension you are entitled to. Those already over state pension age and unable to apply online should call the National Insurance helpline on 0300 200 3500. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. Arrow MORE: Make money from your living room with these 7 investing tips for absolute novices Arrow MORE: Schools should teach money management after teens turn to AI for help, parents say Arrow MORE: Warning as building society to cut interest rates on dozens of accounts
Wales Online
3 days ago
- General
- Wales Online
Letters sent out as people could be owed over £7,000 after error
Letters sent out as people could be owed over £7,000 after error HMRC is writing to around 370,000 people to inform them of a mistake that could be affecting their state pension, with thousands of individuals owed a significant sum HMRC has uncovered a historical error that means thousands of women could be due compensation to the tune of £7,859. The error primarily impacted women who gave birth in the 80s and 90s under the Labour Party government's tax department. Consequently, HMRC is now sending letters to these women about their potential entitlement to a significant payout. The mistake relates to Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP), a scheme aimed at reducing the number of years needed on your National Insurance record to qualify for the full state pension. Tax experts suggest that those most affected by this oversight are stay-at-home mothers who claimed Child Benefit between 1978 and 2000. For money-saving tips, sign up to our Money newsletter here . During this time, if you were at home raising children or caring for someone and receiving either Child Benefit or Income Support, you were eligible for HRP. However, the system was altered in 2010 when HRP was replaced with National Insurance credits. Unfortunately, for thousands of people, their HRP entitlement wasn't correctly recorded or transferred to their National Insurance record. This lapse by HMRC, which has now been recognised and is being rectified, means some individuals have gaps in their records, according to Birmingham Live. What's more worrying is that as a result, they may be receiving less state pension than they're entitled to, or will be in the future. The tax department has initiated the process of sending letters to roughly 370,000 individuals. They've pinpointed just over 5,300 instances of underpayment from January to September 2024, amounting to a total debt of around £42 million. On average, each person is due approximately £7,859. It's projected that about 43,000 of the affected individuals have unfortunately passed away, however, their families are still eligible to claim the owed sum. HMRC is prioritising those who have reached pensionable age and reaching out to them first. Article continues below To qualify, you must have been receiving child benefit in your own name (not a spouse or partner), your child was under 16 for the entire financial year in question, and you were not contributing to the married woman's 'reduced stamp'. Get daily breaking news updates on your phone by joining our WhatsApp community here .
Global News
6 days ago
- Global News
Hate crimes on the rise in Halifax according to data
Vandalism, assaults and threats are on the rise in Halifax, according to police. Hate crimes were an issue first identified as a growing problem that needed addressing in 2022. Halifax Regional Police (HRP) and RCMP have been working together since then with communities that are directly impacted. The issue was discussed with Halifax's board of police commissioners on May 21. 'It was really fascinating talking to all these different communities about the various things affecting their comfort and their ability to share this information with police,' said Madeleine Goldsmith, HRP diversity officer. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Police say it's difficult getting people to report these incidents. 'The more we can encourage people to come forward and report them, I think a better situation that will actually be,' said HRP Chief Don MacLean. Story continues below advertisement Only seven hate crimes were reported in 2014 in the municipality, with the number in 2023 jumping to 121. People of colour, actual or perceived, newcomers and members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community are the groups most commonly targeted, according to a staff report on the police response to hate crimes and hate incidents in Halifax. MacLean says the police are focusing on training and education to address these incidents. He says it gives some context and understanding. Tony Mancini, Halifax's deputy mayor, says that more people reporting these incidents is likely part of the reason the numbers are going up. 'It's about communication, it's about bringing it front and centre,' says Mancini. 'Let's not hide about these things.' — With a file from Angela Capobianco
Daily Record
23-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Older people urged to check for historical State Pension payment error worth over £8,300
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has said that between January 8, 2024 and March 31, 2025, a joint State Pensions corrections exercise with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), identified 12,379 State Pension underpayments to women whose National Insurance (NI) records are incorrect. In 2022, the DWP became aware of a number of State Pension cases where it appeared that historic periods of Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP) were missing, leading to inaccurate State Pension payments. So far, around £104 million in arrears have been paid out, with an average payment of £8,377. Retirement expert Helen Morrissey is urging older people to complete the online form or contact the Pension Service if they think they have been affected after new research from the DWP shows the main reasons why those who have received a letter from HMRC asking them to check their State Pension as it could be wrong - have failed to do so. HMRC has sent out more than 370,000 letters - mostly to women - urging them to check their State Pension payments as they may be lower than they are entitled to. However, the DWP research indicates that the majority of people contacted by letter did not go on to apply for HRP. Barriers included: Not understanding the letter Thinking the communication was a scam Reliance on digital methods to put in a claim HRP was a scheme designed to help protect parents' and carers' entitlement to the State Pension and was replaced by NI credits from April 6, 2010. HMRC is using NI records to identify as many people as possible who might have been entitled to HRP between 1978 and 2010 and have no HRP on their NI record. After May 2000, it became mandatory to include a NI number on claims so people claiming after this point will not have been affected. The head of retirement analysis at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: 'This research lays bare the complexities the government faces in resolving the long running issue of underpaid State Pensions. The State Pension system has become so confusing that even when the UK Government has communicated with those who may have a claim, the complexity and jargon has put many of them off. This means many thousands are getting less than they are entitled to. 'Issues identified by the government include the use of jargon. Many simply didn't understand what was being asked of them -that mistakes made decades ago had been identified and could be rectified. 'Terms such as Home Responsibilities Protection haven't been used for many years - it's understandable that people may have little recollection as to whether they claimed it or not. 'The reliance on online forms to claim refunds was also a significant barrier, with many not feeling internet savvy enough to navigate the system without help.' Ms Morrissey continued: 'Notably many people decided not to take action because they feared doing so might actually reduce their state pension or they were scared that they had been targeted by scammers. It's clear the government faces an uphill battle if it is to successfully reunite those affected with their extra pension payments. 'The introduction of the New State Pension system in 2016 was meant to simplify things - and it should, but again challenges remain for these younger groups. Those who opted out of Child Benefit because of the High-Income Child Benefit Charge will not have known that by doing so they risk missing out on National Insurance credits towards their State Pension.' The UK Government has put measures in place to deal with this, but Ms Morrissey warns it remains something that can 'trip people up and so awareness needs to be raised on an ongoing basis'. The retirement expert added: 'Encouraging people to check their State Pension record to see if there are any gaps is vital - if there are mistakes, then they have time to correct them. 'If the gap has occurred during a period of time when they qualified for a benefit, such as Child Benefit, then they can backdate a claim and get the gaps filled for free. There's also the option of paying for voluntary contributions to make sure you get the most from your state pension.' How to use the online HRP tool You may still be able to apply for HRP, for full tax years (6 April to 5 April) between 1978 and 2010, if any of the following were true: you were claiming Child Benefit for a child under 16 you were caring for a child with your partner who claimed Child Benefit instead of you you were getting Income Support because you were caring for someone who was sick or disabled you were caring for a sick or disabled person who was claiming certain benefits You can also apply if, for a full tax year between 2003 and 2010, you were either: Who qualified automatically for HRP The guidance on explains that most people got HRP automatically if they were: getting Child Benefit in their name for a child under the age of 16 and they had given the Child Benefit Office their National Insurance number getting Income Support and they did not need to register for work because they were caring for someone who was sick or disabled If your partner claimed Child Benefit instead of you If you reached State Pension age before April 6, 2008, you cannot transfer HRP. However, you may be able to transfer HRP from a partner you lived with if they claimed Child Benefit while you both cared for a child under 16 and they do not need the HRP. They can transfer the HRP to you for any 'qualifying years' they have on their National Insurance record between April 1978 and April 2010. This will be converted into National Insurance credits. Married women or widows You cannot get HRP for any complete tax year if you were a married woman or a widow and: you had chosen to pay reduced rate Class 1 National Insurance contributions as an employee (commonly known as the small stamp) you had chosen not to pay Class 2 National Insurance contributions when self-employed If you were caring for a sick or disabled person You can only claim HRP for the years you spent caring for someone with a long-term illness or disability between April 6, 1978 and April 5, 2002. You must have spent at least 35 hours a week caring for them and they must have been getting one of the following benefits: Attendance Allowance Disability Living Allowance at the middle or highest rate for personal care Constant Attendance Allowance The benefit must have been paid for 48 weeks of each tax year on or after April 6, 1988 or every week of each tax year before April 6, 1988. You can still apply if you are over State Pension age. You will not usually be paid any increase in State Pension that may have been due for previous years. If you were getting Carer's Allowance You do not need to apply for HRP if you were getting Carer's Allowance. You'll automatically get National Insurance credits and would not usually have needed HRP. If you were a foster carer or caring for a friend or family member's child You have to apply for HRP if, for a full tax year between 2003 and 2010, you were either: a foster carer caring for a friend or family member's child ('kinship carer') in Scotland All of the following must also be true: you were not getting Child Benefit you were not in paid work you did not earn enough in a tax year for it to count towards the State Pension If you reached State Pension age on or after 6 April 2010 Any HRP you had for full tax years before April 6, 2010 was automatically converted into National Insurance credits, if you needed them, up to a maximum of 22 qualifying years. A full overview of HRP can be found on here.
Daily Mirror
23-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
DWP mistake sees over 12,000 Brits receive £8,300 state pension payout
HMRC has been writing to thousands of older Brits over the last few years after confirming a major administration error had occurred, which caused thousands to have lower state pension payments than they should've Thousands of Brits were underpaid their state pensions and have recently received a payout worth £8,377. According to a recent Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) update, 12,379 people were identified between January 8, 2024 and March 31, 2025 as being underpaid. The issue, first coming to light in 2022, saw large numbers of parents – mostly stay-at-home mums who claimed Child Benefit – missing Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP) on their National Insurance record. The HRP scheme ran from 1986 to 2010, before being replaced by National Insurance credits. It was designed to protect people's National Insurance contributions towards their state pension when they were out of work due to caring responsibilities. HRP reduced the number of qualifying years you need to claim the state pension. The main cause of the issue was that National Insurance numbers were not always recorded when people claimed Child Benefit before 2000. Join Money Saving Club's specialist topics For all you savvy savers and bargain hunters out there, there's a golden opportunity to stretch your pounds further. The Money Saving Club newsletter, a favourite among thousands who thrive on catching the best deals, is stepping up its game. Simply follow the link and select one or more of the following topics to get all the latest deals and advice on: Travel; Property; Pets, family and home; Personal finance; Shopping and discounts; Utilities. This caused some people to miss periods of HRP between April 6, 1978 and April 5, 2000 which subsequently affected how much state pension they could get when they claimed it. HMRC and the DWP are currently working to identify those affected by the error and pay them what they are owed. According to the latest update, HMRC sent 370,018 letters, processed 8,639 applications under the state pension age, and 44,296 applications over the state pension age. In total, the DWP received 22,781 cases from HMRC and processed 21,878 of them. The government departments previously said those closest to the state pension age - in their 60s and 70s - are being issued letters first. Alongside this, the government departments set up Legal Entitlements and Administrative Practice (LEAP), which allowed those affected to apply, correct their records, and make both arrears and ongoing revised state pension payments. Overall, the DWP paid out £104million to those affected. However, this is only around one-tenth of the original £1.1billion estimate set aside by the DWP last year. From universal credit to furlough, employment rights, travel updates and emergency financial aid - we've got all of the big financial stories you need to know about right now. Sign up to our Mirror Money newsletter here. Industry experts have raised concerns over the pace of the government's progress in addressing HRP errors, which is set to continue until 2027/28. In a report published by the DWP alongside the update, the department shared reasons why the response rate to the department's letter scheme was low. Many recipients are elderly with limited internet skills, yet the Government has implemented a "digital by default" application process requiring online eligibility checks and claims. Many recipients said that they thought the letters might be scams, and so did not respond. People also reported being anxious about engaging with government. Some thought that they probably would not be eligible or that it was now "too long ago" to put things right. The research also found that 'participants generally relied on their own assessments of eligibility, rather than using the online tool identified in the letter'. Some simply did not understand the connection between historic receipt of Child Benefit and entitlement to HRP and how this could affect their state pension. Steve Webb, partner at pension consultants LCP, who first raised concerns about missing HRP more than 15 years ago, expressed disappointment at the results. He said: "It is deeply disappointing that efforts to track down mothers being underpaid their state pension have so far failed to reach the vast majority of those who the Government thinks have lost out. Writing letters to elderly people which guide them towards a two-stage online process was always going to have a low success rate. "People are understandably wary of scams, and expecting them to do their own online eligibility check before submitting an online claim was bound to put many people off. Whilst DWP deserve credit for conducting research into the reasons for the failure of the strategy so far, it is vital that efforts are now redoubled to make sure that far more people get the state pension that should have been theirs by right."
