Over the past few years, a series of administrative mistakes has meant that hundreds of thousands of people in the UK — mostly women — have been underpaid their State Pension. The issue, often referred to as the HMRC state pension error, is linked to gaps in National Insurance records and historic errors in how pensions were calculated. If you or a relative reached State Pension age some years ago, it’s worth understanding whether you might be affected and how to check. This guide explains what went wrong, who is owed money and what to do.
What is the HMRC state pension error?
The term covers more than one problem, but a major strand relates to Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP). HRP was a scheme designed to protect the State Pension of parents and carers who were looking after children or a disabled person between 1978 and 2010. In many cases, HRP was not correctly recorded on people’s National Insurance records, which meant their State Pension was later calculated as lower than it should have been.
Because the State Pension is based on your National Insurance record, a missing chunk of credits can significantly reduce the amount paid — sometimes for years without the person realising anything was wrong.
Who is affected?
Several groups have been identified as being at risk of underpayment. The main categories are:
- Parents and carers (HRP) — people, mostly mothers, whose caring years between 1978 and 2010 were not properly credited.
- Married women — who may not have received the correct pension based on their husband’s National Insurance contributions.
- Widows and widowers — whose pension should have been increased following the death of a spouse but wasn’t.
- People over 80 — who are entitled to a minimum weekly amount regardless of their National Insurance history.
Women are disproportionately affected because the errors often relate to caring responsibilities and to older rules that linked a wife’s pension to her husband’s record.
How much money is involved?
The sums can be substantial. Correction exercises have found average repayments of roughly £5,500 for married women, more than £11,700 for some widowed pensioners, and just over £2,200 for those in the over-80s category. For those affected by the HRP error specifically, the average payout has been around £8,377.
Across the main correction programme running from 2021 to 2025, well over 100,000 underpayments were identified, totalling hundreds of millions of pounds — and the government has set aside more than a billion pounds to cover the HRP issue alone, estimating that a large number of people could still be affected.
How the errors are being corrected
The DWP has been running a correction exercise, sometimes called the LEAP exercise, to identify and repay people who were underpaid. HMRC has also been writing to people it believes may have gaps in their record because of missing HRP, inviting them to check and, if appropriate, claim the missing credits so their pension can be recalculated.
If you receive an official letter about missing HRP or a potential underpayment, it’s important to respond — but always verify it’s genuine. HMRC and the DWP will not ask you to pay a fee to receive money you’re owed, or request your banking passwords.
How to check if you’re owed money
If you think you might be affected, there are a few sensible steps:
- Check your National Insurance record. You can view it through the official service on gov.uk to look for gaps during years you were caring for children or a disabled person.
- Use the government’s HRP checker. There is an online tool on gov.uk to help you work out whether you might be missing Home Responsibilities Protection.
- Request a State Pension forecast or review. This shows what you’re currently on track to receive and can highlight discrepancies.
- Contact the National Insurance helpline. You can call 0300 200 3500 to discuss your record and any potential missing credits.
If you’re helping an older relative, these checks are especially worthwhile for women who took time out of work to raise a family before 2010.
Watch out for scams
Where money and pensions are involved, scammers follow. Be wary of unexpected calls, texts or emails claiming you’re owed a pension refund and asking for personal or banking details. Genuine checks are free, and you can always contact HMRC or the DWP directly using the official phone numbers and website rather than responding to a message you didn’t expect.
The bottom line
The HMRC state pension error has left many people — particularly women who were mothers or carers before 2010 — receiving less State Pension than they were entitled to. With average payouts running into thousands of pounds, it’s well worth checking your National Insurance record and using the official gov.uk tools if you think you could be affected. The checks cost nothing, and putting things right could make a meaningful difference to your retirement income.
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For more clear, fact-checked guidance made for British readers, explore more from iBradome.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check if I’ve been underpaid my State Pension?
Start by checking your National Insurance record on gov.uk for gaps during years you were caring for children or a disabled person, use the government’s HRP checker, and request a State Pension forecast. You can also call the National Insurance helpline on 0300 200 3500.
Who is most likely to be affected by the state pension error?
Women are disproportionately affected, particularly mothers and carers who took time out of work before 2010, married women, widows and people over 80. The errors often relate to missing Home Responsibilities Protection or older rules linking a wife’s pension to her husband’s record.
Will HMRC contact me if I’m owed money?
HMRC has been writing to people it believes may have missing HRP credits. However, scammers imitate these letters and calls, so never pay a fee or share banking passwords. If in doubt, contact HMRC directly using the official phone number or website.
