The Department for Work and Pensions has announced that married older women could be due up to \u00a36,500. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
More than 22,270 underpayments involving married women have been reported in the UK, anticipated to amount \u00a36,630 on average. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Over the last two years, women over the age of 80 have been recognised as being in arrears averaging \u00a32,710. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Only 14,512 people in this category are thought to have missed out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Britons who want to find out if they are eligible for a pension should phone the Pension Service at 0800 731 0469. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Earlier this year, a DWP spokesperson said: \u201cThe action we are taking now will correct historical underpayments made by successive governments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe are fully committed to addressing these errors, not identified under previous governments, as quickly as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe have set up a dedicated team and devoted significant resources towards completing this, with further resources being allocated throughout 2023 to ensure pensioners receive the support to which they\u2019re entitled.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Helen Morrisy, head of retirement analysis at Hargreaves Lansdown, warned the DWP still has a \u201cmountain to climb\u201d despite identifying underpayments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She said: \u201cDWP is making progress in dealing with State Pension underpayments but there\u2019s a mountain still to climb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSo far almost 47,000 underpayments have been identified with \u00a3300million being repaid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHowever, with estimates suggesting as many as 237,000 pensioners have been underpaid \u00a31.46billion it is clear this is a situation that is not going to be resolved any time soon and in the meantime thousands of pensioners are getting less than what they are entitled to.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She continued: \u201cThe issue mainly affects women retiring under the old State Pension system (Basic).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSome were unaware of the problem but many who queried the issue with DWP over the years were told there was no issue with many enduring real financial hardship as a result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThese women have been let down on a gigantic scale and need resolution as soon as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Department for Work and Pensions has announced that married older women could be due up to \u00a36,500. More than 22,270 underpayments involving married women have been reported in the … <\/p>\n