The UK government’s Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) may have underpaid some State Pensions to older women due to errors connected to Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP) records. Both outlets report that issues in how HRP information was applied to National Insurance records can lead to people receiving less State Pension than they are entitled to, potentially resulting in back payments being owed.
The coverage focuses on historical cases, suggesting the problem is tied to earlier handling of HRP data rather than a recent change in policy. HRP is intended to provide National Insurance credits for certain periods when individuals—often caregivers—are not building qualifying contributions.
While the reports point to HRP-linked mistakes as accounting for most underpayments, they do not specify the number of affected people, the time period of the records involved, or whether all cases automatically receive corrections. Instead, the articles indicate that some women may need to pursue checks to determine whether their record is affected and whether back payments are due.
