State Pension Errors for Widows Raise Concern

Widows under the new state pension system may be missing entitlements due to DWP errors. Sir Steve Webb found errors in four cases, resulting in larger back payments. Over two hundred eighty million pounds have been paid to about twenty-three thousand underpaid recipients.

Widows who retired under the new state pension system may be missing out on their full entitlements due to errors by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), according to Sir Steve Webb, a former pensions minister.

Since 2021, the DWP has been reviewing underpayments, especially affecting women including widows and divorcees.

Recent cases show that widows claiming their pensions, particularly those whose spouses reached pension age before 6 April 2016 or died before this date, are affected.

Webb discovered errors in four cases, leading to back payments of larger amounts.

The DWP states they aim to ensure correct entitlements are paid but acknowledge delays occur when needed documentation is missing.

More than 280 million pounds have already been paid in arrears to around 23,000 recipients due to underpayments.