Thousands of women may still be owed additional state pension after historic errors in the Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP) records, a Warrington-based pensions firm has warned. The mistakes, which left HRP incorrectly logged for some women, mean many have received lower pension payments and face lengthy waits for corrections.
Local firm raises alarm as claimants face delays
Elaine Walker, director of pension reclaim specialists AskRose in Warrington, said the company supports around 100,000 women who could be affected and expressed concern that the pace of redress has been too slow.
"In the time it has taken for them to open this process up, too many of our clients have sadly passed away before being able to claim the money they were owed,"
Walker told InfoRadar that many clients were left, in some cases, for more than 15 years without a fair pension and that dozens had died while waiting for their claims to be processed. She said the majority of those who can still claim are aged between 60 and 79.
Government response and scope of the problem
The Department for Work and Pensions has set aside £1.2 billion to cover the claims. HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has recently allowed approved reclaim specialists to assist eligible claimants with applications, a move welcomed by AskRose but criticised for coming late for many.
A 2023 HMRC outreach effort to contact affected pensioners produced a response rate of only 8%, far short of the expected 90%. AskRose warns that low engagement, combined with the advanced age of many potential claimants, risks many being unable to benefit.
What the errors mean in practice
Before 2010, women required 39 qualifying years to secure full state pension entitlements. Where HRP was not recorded properly, qualifying years were effectively lost, resulting in lower pension payments. The charity and reclaim specialists say the average claim value is around £8,377.
- Who is affected: Primarily women who stopped work or reduced hours to care for children.
- Age bracket: Mostly aged 60–79.
- Average claim: £8,377.
- Compensation fund: £1.2 billion set aside by DWP.
The company highlighted the human cost behind the statistics: these are people who provided childcare and household support to younger generations and now face reduced incomes in later life as a result of administrative failings.
Numbers at a glance
| Detail | Figure |
|---|---|
| Potentially affected women supported by AskRose | 100,000 |
| Average claim value | £8,377 |
| Funds set aside by DWP | £1.2 billion |
| Annual deaths aged 60–79 | 55,000+ |
AskRose has urged HMRC to keep the process efficient now that professional reclaim specialists are permitted to assist, warning that any further delay will only reduce the number of claimants who can successfully recover what they are owed.
For women who believe they may be affected, the recommended steps are to check any correspondence from HMRC or the DWP, and seek advice from an approved reclaim specialist if needed. The local firm says it will continue supporting clients through the process and pressing for timely resolution.
Reporting by InfoRadar's Warrington correspondent.
