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Thousands of UK pensioners could be in line for back payments averaging around £8,000, with the majority being women who may have been underpaid their State Pensions. The Department for Work

and Pensions (DWP) has issued a new update on its joint State Pensions corrections exercise with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). The latest data shows that over 370,000 letters have been

sent out, mainly to women, urging them to review their State Pension payments as they might be receiving less than they are entitled to. As reported by the Daily Record, between January 8,

2024 and March 31, 2025, the initiative identified 12,379 instances of State Pension underpayments and issued total arrears of approximately £104 million, with an average payment of £8,377.

The figures also indicate that 8,639 applications have been processed for those below State Pension age and 44,296 for individuals aged 66 and over. In 2022, the DWP discovered several State

Pension cases where it appeared that historic periods of Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP) were missing, leading to inaccurate State Pension payments. Investigations revealed that this

issue impacted the National Insurance records, managed by HMRC, of some people both below and above State Pension age. The DWP and HMRC have launched a Legal Entitlements and Administrative

Practice (LEAP) corrections exercise to identify and invite potentially impacted individuals to apply, correct their records, and make both arrears and ongoing revised State Pension

payments. The new publication also states that individuals can continue to apply to HMRC to have missing HRP added to their National Insurance. The DWP has previously stated that those

closest to the State Pension age in their 60s and 70s were the first to receive letters. However, anyone who believes they may have been affected can verify their eligibility online using

the self-identification tool on GOV.UK. The DWP disclosed that approximately 2,000 people per month are utilising the online HRP eligibility checker. Those affected by historical errors are

due to receive any back payments and see their State Pension corrected by the end of this year. It's important to note that not all cases processed by the DWP result in an underpayment.

Cases may already have the qualifying years for a full State Pension, may already be receiving a higher State Pension inherited from their spouse, or may still not be entitled to State

Pension as all conditions have not been met. HRP UNDERPAYMENTS HRP was a scheme intended to safeguard parents' and carers' entitlement to the State Pension, which was superseded by

NI credits from 6 April 2010. HMRC is utilising NI records to pinpoint as many individuals as possible who may have been eligible for HRP between 1978 and 2010 but have no HRP on their NI

record. Post May 2000, it became compulsory to include a National Insurance number on claims, so those claiming after this date will not have been impacted. A thorough summary of HRP can be

found on GOV.UK.