Check you’re not missing state pension payments

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) are urging tens of thousands of people to check if they are eligible to boost their state pension, as they could be missing Home Responsibilities Protection on their National Insurance record.

Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP) was applied to the National Insurance records of those who claimed Child Benefit between 1978 and 2000 to protect their State Pension. It reduced the number of qualifying years individuals with caring responsibilities needed to receive their full basic State Pension and was replaced by National Insurance credits in 2010.

If someone claimed Child Benefits before May 2000 and did not provide their NI number on their claim, HRP may not have been applied and their State Pension entitlement may have been affected. If it is missing from their NI record, it doesn’t necessarily mean their State Pension calculation is incorrect, but it does increase the possibility, especially if they spent a number of years away from work.

HMRC is urging those affected, who are mainly women, at or approaching State Pension age to check for gaps in their NI record. They have already written to 257,000 pensioners who could have HRP missing from the NI record and are now in the process of contacting those under State Pension age to encourage them to use the eligibility checker. Customers do not need to wait to receive their letter before making a claim. Those who first claimed Child Benefit after May 2000 will not be affected, as parents were required to include their NI number on their Child Benefit claim forms.

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Check you’re not missing State Pension payments