Overview

• Between 8 January 2024 and 31 March 2025, officials identified 12,379 State Pension underpayments linked to missing Home Responsibilities Protection entries.
• Arrears paid so far total about £104 million, with average back payments of roughly £8,377.
• HMRC has sent more than 370,000 letters, mostly to women, alerting people that their pension may be lower than it should be.
• DWP research finds most letter recipients did not apply, citing confusing wording, scam concerns and reliance on online claim routes as key barriers.
• HRP covered caring years from 1978 to 2010 before being replaced by NI credits, and experts urge those who think they are affected to use the GOV.UK tool or contact the Pension Service.