Overview

• An official FOI reply says the DWP’s standard retention policy is still paused but would be re‑applied and deletions considered once the embargo is lifted.
• If the pause ends, roughly two million records linked to deaths between 2017 and 2020 could be removed based on annual mortality among pension‑age people.
• Loss of these files would make it almost impossible for heirs to correct state pension errors without detailed personal documentation.
• Sir Steve Webb has written to DWP permanent secretary Sir Peter Schofield urging continued retention of records to resolve outstanding cases, including HRP errors.
• DWP says it has reviewed over 900,000 records and paid more than £900m in arrears, while estimates show 194,000 people were underpaid due to HRP issues, including 43,000 deceased with about £127m unpaid.