Latest news with #MoneySavingExpert
Scotsman
9 hours ago
- General
- Scotsman
Home Responsibilities Protection: error may owe thousands
Thousands risk missing out on State Pension top-ups due to a government error 👀 Sign up to the weekly Cost Of Living newsletter. Saving tips, deals and money hacks. Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... People who took time off work to care for children or family between 1978 and 2010 may be owed thousands in missing State Pension payments A government error meant many didn't receive Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP) credits, reducing their National Insurance record and pension amount Martin Lewis warns the government has stopped proactively contacting those affected On average, underpayments are worth around £5,000, but some have received backpayments exceeding £30,000 Those who suspect they're affected should check their State Pension forecast on People who took time off work to care for children or family between 1978 and 2010 are being urged by Martin Lewis to check if they're owed thousands in missing State Pension payments — with some reclaiming more than £30,000 in backpay. The MoneySavingExpert founder has warned that a government error, which went unnoticed for decades, could be depriving hundreds of thousands of a State Pension boost worth an average of £5,000. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But most of those affected haven't been contacted, and time is running out to claim what they're owed. What's the issue? The error centres on Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP), a government scheme that ran from 1978 to 2010. It was supposed to protect the State Pensions of people — mostly mothers — who claimed Child Benefit or cared for someone long-term ill or disabled. HRP gave people National Insurance (NI) 'credits' for the years they weren't working due to caring duties. These credits count towards their State Pension entitlement. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But due to government record-keeping failures, around 194,000 people never received those credits, meaning their NI records are incomplete and their State Pensions lower than they should be. Speaking on his podcast, Martin Lewis gave a blunt warning: 'This is an important heads-up for women aged 40 to 90, particularly those in their 60s and 70s. 'If you looked after children or a disabled person between 1978 and 2010, you were likely meant to get HRP. But many didn't — and while the government was trying to contact people, it's now stopped doing so.' Although HMRC sent over 370,000 letters to people it believed could be affected, uptake was poor. According to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), only 12,379 underpayments were corrected in 2024/25. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Due to the low response rate and 'challenging' nature of correcting the error, the Government has scaled back the compensation programme. Originally, it earmarked £1.2 billion to repay affected pensioners — but this has now been slashed to just £29.8 million, suggesting most people may never see the money they're owed. Former pensions minister Sir Steve Webb has criticised the DWP's failure to fix the problem, calling the campaign a 'dismal failure'. 'The vast majority affected are women — some underpaid for decades or who even died before being paid the correct pension,' he said. 'The government's admission that most won't get their money is shameful.' How to check if you're owed money You could be eligible if: You were born between roughly 1930 and 1970 (aged 50+ now) You claimed Child Benefit or cared for someone full-time between 1978 and 2010 You have gaps in your National Insurance record You're getting less than the full State Pension (currently £221.20 a week) To find out: Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Visit to view your forecast Check if you have gaps in your NI contributions See if those gaps fall between 1978–2010, when you were a stay-at-home parent or unpaid carer If so, you can apply to backdate your HRP credits You can also contact the HMRC National Insurance helpline on 0300 200 3500. Are you struggling to make ends meet as costs continue to rise? You can now send your stories to us online via YourWorld at It's free to use and, once checked, your story will appear on our website and, space allowing, in our newspapers.
Scotsman
13 hours ago
- General
- Scotsman
Home Responsibilities Protection: error may owe thousands
Thousands risk missing out on State Pension top-ups due to a government error 👀 Sign up to the weekly Cost Of Living newsletter. Saving tips, deals and money hacks. Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... People who took time off work to care for children or family between 1978 and 2010 may be owed thousands in missing State Pension payments A government error meant many didn't receive Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP) credits, reducing their National Insurance record and pension amount Martin Lewis warns the government has stopped proactively contacting those affected On average, underpayments are worth around £5,000, but some have received backpayments exceeding £30,000 Those who suspect they're affected should check their State Pension forecast on People who took time off work to care for children or family between 1978 and 2010 are being urged by Martin Lewis to check if they're owed thousands in missing State Pension payments — with some reclaiming more than £30,000 in backpay. The MoneySavingExpert founder has warned that a government error, which went unnoticed for decades, could be depriving hundreds of thousands of a State Pension boost worth an average of £5,000. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But most of those affected haven't been contacted, and time is running out to claim what they're owed. What's the issue? The error centres on Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP), a government scheme that ran from 1978 to 2010. It was supposed to protect the State Pensions of people — mostly mothers — who claimed Child Benefit or cared for someone long-term ill or disabled. HRP gave people National Insurance (NI) 'credits' for the years they weren't working due to caring duties. These credits count towards their State Pension entitlement. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But due to government record-keeping failures, around 194,000 people never received those credits, meaning their NI records are incomplete and their State Pensions lower than they should be. Speaking on his podcast, Martin Lewis gave a blunt warning: 'This is an important heads-up for women aged 40 to 90, particularly those in their 60s and 70s. 'If you looked after children or a disabled person between 1978 and 2010, you were likely meant to get HRP. But many didn't — and while the government was trying to contact people, it's now stopped doing so.' Although HMRC sent over 370,000 letters to people it believed could be affected, uptake was poor. According to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), only 12,379 underpayments were corrected in 2024/25. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Due to the low response rate and 'challenging' nature of correcting the error, the Government has scaled back the compensation programme. Originally, it earmarked £1.2 billion to repay affected pensioners — but this has now been slashed to just £29.8 million, suggesting most people may never see the money they're owed. Former pensions minister Sir Steve Webb has criticised the DWP's failure to fix the problem, calling the campaign a 'dismal failure'. 'The vast majority affected are women — some underpaid for decades or who even died before being paid the correct pension,' he said. 'The government's admission that most won't get their money is shameful.' How to check if you're owed money You could be eligible if: You were born between roughly 1930 and 1970 (aged 50+ now) You claimed Child Benefit or cared for someone full-time between 1978 and 2010 You have gaps in your National Insurance record You're getting less than the full State Pension (currently £221.20 a week) To find out: Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Visit to view your forecast Check if you have gaps in your NI contributions See if those gaps fall between 1978–2010, when you were a stay-at-home parent or unpaid carer If so, you can apply to backdate your HRP credits You can also contact the HMRC National Insurance helpline on 0300 200 3500.
Daily Mirror
21 hours ago
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Brits who left university in the last 27 years could be 'owed thousands'
Money Saving Expert, which was founded by Martin Lewis, advised exactly how to check if you're owed money. Finance experts have urged any former university students to check their paperwork, as more than one million could be owed up to thousands of pounds. According to the consumer website Money Saving Expert (MSE) many Brits could have overpaid on their student loans. These loans are provided to help students cover their tuition fees as well as living costs. While they are therefore vital to ensure many people are even able to attend university, they can leave people with lingering debts. And over the course of a year it is estimated that more than one million university students overpay on their loans. In a post made to social media platform Facebook, MSE said: 'Left uni at any point in the last 10 or 15 years? Check now if you can reclaim £100s or even £1,000s. 'Every year 100,000s of university leavers overpay their student loans, often without realising!' On its website MSE, which was founded by Martin Lewis, explained more. It said: 'Many have student loan repayments automatically deducted from their wages each month, and assume all is well. Yet 100,000s accidentally overpay their student loans each year, often without realising. 'Here's how to check if you're one of them and, if so, how you can reclaim £100s, or even £1,000s. In the last tax year alone, over one million university leavers overpaid their student loans, according to the latest figures released by the Student Loans Company (SLC).' The site provided a guide to determine whether you have been affected by these overpayments. But it only applies to those who went to university in the last 27 years - meaning they had to start in 1998 or later. 'Over recent years, the Student Loans Company has introduced a number of initiatives to reduce overpayments and improve the repayment process for students,' it said. 'This includes introducing an online repayment service, issuing automatic refunds and actively contacting those who might have overpaid. 'While these changes have helped to reduce the number of students making overpayments, more than a million former students still overpaid in the 2022/23 tax year – so it's well worth checking.' According to the site, there are four main reasons you might have overpaid your student loan: You repaid the loan in some months despite not earning enough in the full year to take you over the repayment threshold You're on the wrong payment plan by default You've started repaying too early You had money deducted after the loan was fully repaid To find out more and to check if you could have overpaid you can visit the MSE website here. How to claim the money back The steps you need to take are different depending on the reason you have been overpaying. If payments were deducted from your pay despite the fact that your total earnings for the year were below the repayment threshold, you can request a refund from SLC online. If you're on the wrong student loan payment plan by default, you will need to speak to your employer or call SLC. You can call them on 0300 100 0611. You should also call SLC if you started repaying your loan too early. However, if you had money deducted after the loan was fully repaid you don't need to do anything. MSE explained: 'If you've paid over your loan balance and additional payments are taken, you're due a credit balance refund. You don't need to do anything for this, if SLC can verify your bank account is still active and used by you, a refund will automatically be paid into your account. 'Meaning it's important to keep your contact information, including bank details and email address up-to-date. Alternatively they will contact you to tell you how to get a refund. If you've overpaid and have not heard from SLC you can ask them for a refund.' A number of MSE readers wrote to the site about their experience claiming back the cash. Melissa said: 'Just wanted to say a massive thank you as I read your article on overpaying on student loan repayments and realised there was a chance I had overpaid. 'Turns out I had and I've since received a refund of £900! I've been doing house renovations this year so this money has been incredibly handy in going towards them.' Lisa added: 'I spent 15 minutes on the phone and got £555 back for overpayments on my student loan. Most was because of my maternity leave. Thanks so much, couldn't have come at a better time.'
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Martin Lewis urges Brits to make two crucial checks on passports before going on holiday
The Money Saving Expert urged Brits to check their passports before going on holiday this summer as they could be turned away at the airport Martin Lewis has issued an urgent warning to Brits jetting off on their summer holidays to double-check two vital passport details. The Money Saving Expert recently featured on This Morning to outline the "essential" checks travellers must carry out before departure - as failing to do so could see you refused boarding at the gate, reports the Express. Martin stressed that holidaymakers need to scrutinise their passport's expiry dates, particularly focusing on its validity when you touch down in your destination country. Initially, Martin advised people to verify they have six months remaining on their passports, or three months if they're bound for European Union nations. He cautioned: "If you have less than six months left, you might still be okay, but then you need to go and check the individual countries requirements." The second verification is the "one that catches people out", Martin revealed. He mentioned frequently receiving correspondence from members of the public who claim they've been refused entry onto aircraft or rejected at immigration control. He said: "Is your passport under ten years old? So you could have more than six months left, but your passport be ten years old and you can get turned back." The Post Office highlighted that a passport's validity is equally crucial and fundamental as securing travel insurance or obtaining the correct foreign currency for your getaway. UK passports issued after 2018 remain valid for precisely ten years. But if your passport was issued before September 2018, it might be valid for up to ten years and nine months. This is because, before 2018, the passport office would add up to nine extra months from your old passport to your new one. The Post Office explained that this means some people have passports that haven't officially expired and are still valid for travel worldwide. However, the exception is travel in Europe, where passports must be less than ten years old. Martin urged people to check how old their passport is, not just how long is left on its validity. He said: "If your passport is more than ten years old on the day you arrive, you can be turned back for that as well. And it happens". To travel to Europe and Schengen countries, your passport must be issued less than ten years before your departure date for your holiday, and it must be valid for at least three months after your scheduled return. There are also a number of countries which don't require six months of passport validity, including Albania, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Spain and Sweden. You can check if your passport is valid or will be valid for your trip by visiting You will be able to search for the country you're visiting and its entry requirements.
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- General
- Daily Mirror
Parents could get £200 boost before the kids go back to school - here's how
The additional funds are there to help cover costs Parents in the UK could be entitled to an additional £200 before the children go back to school. This non-repayable cash is designated to help pay for school uniforms. However, it is only available to certain families on low income living in specific areas. In the majority of cases you will qualify if your child is eligible for free school meals. Consumer finance website Money Saving Expert (MSE), founded by Martin Lewis, explained more about who can get the grant. MSE said: 'Generally, the minimum UK-wide requirement to get a school uniform grant is to qualify for means-tested free school meals - even if you don't actually get them. Typically, to get means-tested free school meals, you need to be getting a specified benefit.' These include: Universal Credit (you're eligible after you've got your first payment) Child Tax Credit The 'guaranteed element' of Pension Credit Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance Income-related Employment and Support Allowance Income Support Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 However, the exact criteria for free school meals varies slightly around the UK. For more information on how to apply in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, visit the MSE website here. It's also important to note that local authorities can set their own school uniform grant eligibility criteria, and some councils include additional requirements. 'For example, in some cases your child has to be in a specific year group or moving from primary to secondary school to qualify,' MSE said. In England, the amount you can get will depend on your local council. Visit the MSE website here for a breakdown of which local authorities offer what. MSE said: 'In England, whether you can get a school uniform grant is a postcode lottery as it's down to your local council to decide whether to offer one, how much you get and the eligibility criteria.' Currently, only 22 out of 150 councils in England offer this grant. A further seven do offer financial support for uniforms but only in exceptional circumstances, for example, where you've suffered a fire, flood or have been made homeless. MSE said: 'If your council isn't listed above, ask if it has other help available. Under the Household Support Fund, councils in England can access funding to help those most in need with the cost of daily essentials, including school clothing in some cases. 'Each council can choose how to distribute the money, so eligibility criteria and what you can get varies – for example, some have given extra funding to schools to hand out, while others provide direct help to vulnerable households in the form of supermarket vouchers. 'The scheme is set to run until April 2026. After this, councils will continue to receive funding for a new 'Crisis and Resilience Fund', a long-term scheme which will aim to protect families from crisis. However, it's not clear yet how specific individual councils will use this funding. 'It's worth contacting your council to find out what it offers. If you can't access financial support under the Household Support Fund, your council may have other schemes in place that could help you.' Grants in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland School uniform grants are offered by all local authorities in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales to anyone who meets the eligibility criteria. Here's a rough guide: The amount you get varies by council, but it'll be at least £120 The deadline to apply varies by council See for the link to your council's application form Wales: Northern Ireland: You can get up to £93.60 per child However, the deadline to apply was 25 July 2025
