Overview

• The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has identified 130,948 state pension underpayments totaling £804.7 million as of March 31, 2025.
• Errors primarily affected married women, widows, and over-80s, who were underpaid due to miscalculations in pension entitlements.
• A separate Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP) review uncovered £42 million in arrears across 5,344 cases, with further repayments anticipated.
• The vast majority of cases have been resolved, but a small number remain pending due to missing documentation, according to the DWP.
• Experts, including former pensions minister Sir Steve Webb, project total repayments could exceed £1 billion, underscoring calls for systemic reforms to prevent future errors.