Savers have four more months to raise state pensions following complaints DWP phone lines blocked
Savers have an additional four months to pay to boost their state pensions following complaints that Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) phone lines were blocked ahead of the deadline.
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has extended the date by which savers must have filled gaps in their National Insurance records between 2006-7 and 2016-17 from April 5 to July 31.
Financial Secretary to the Treasury, Victoria Atkins, said HMRC and DWP have recently seen an “increase” in customer contact as savers rush to top up.
Increase in pensions: HMRC has extended the date by which savers must have filled gaps in their National Insurance records between 2006-7 and 2016-17 from April 5 to July 31
Frustrated callers have complained that it’s nearly impossible to get on the DWP’s phone lines or, when they do, that staff can’t give them crucial information about their state pension predictions.
The full state pension is paid to those with at least 35 years of NI contributions.
Anyone who is missing can pay to fill the gaps for specific years.
It costs £15.85 for a week missing NI, or £826.50 for a full year.
This increases your pension by £275 a year, or £5,500 over a 20 year pension.
Normally you can only pay for the last six years, but a special concession currently allows savers to fill gaps for an additional decade, since 2006.
This addition was supposed to end in April, but it’s been extended to make sure people don’t miss a thing.
l.purkess@dailymail.co.uk
