People over State Pension age due annual income boost of up to £902 over next 12 months

Scotland’s First Minister has urged Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer to be “on the right side of history” in delivering compensation for women impacted by changes to the State Pension age. Humza Yousaf has written to who he said are the “current and future” incumbents of Downing Street after he met with Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) campaigners outside the Scottish Parliament on Thursday.

There are two key dates women born in the 1950s impacted by changes to the State Pension age should add to their diary this week as MPs return to Parliament after the Easter recess. The second reading of the State Pension Age (Compensation) Bill, which was brought before the House in February by SNP MP Alan Brown, will have its second reading on Friday, April 19.

The Scottish Government will replace Winter Fuel Payments with a new devolved lump sum later this year. Pension Age Winter Heating Payment (PAWHP) is set to be provided on a like-for-like basis to its Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) counterpart and paid to everyone over the State Pension age every year.

More than one million people over State Pension age living in Scotland will be able to claim two new devolved benefits starting before the end of this year. Pension Age Winter Heating Payment (PAWHP) will be worth up to £300 per household and is set to replace the annual Winter Fuel Payment, currently delivered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

State Pensions and benefits increased earlier this week after the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) applied the annual uprating. More than 12 million people will see State Pension payments rise by 8.5 per cent while those on benefits including Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment (PIP) will receive a 6.7 per cent increase.

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Mel Stride MP has said he will return to the House of Commons “when there is something to say” about a decision on whether women born in the 1950s affected by changes to the State Pension age should receive compensation. His comments may confuse some people as the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s report (PHSO) published on March 21 indicated that compensation should be made.

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The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has published a new update on progress of the State Pension Underpayments Legal Entitlements and Administrative Practice (LEAP) exercise. The new figures published last month show that 97,016 people over State Pension age - mostly women - have received back payments averaging £2,192, £5,713 and £12,486, depending on their pension category.

The latest Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) figures indicate that fraud and error in the benefit system is falling after the UK Government restated its determination to drive levels down further and protect taxpayers’ money. The most-recent national statistics show that in the 2022/23 financial year, fraud and error rates fell to 3.6 per cent (£8.3 billion) from 4.0 per cent (£8.7 billion) - figures for 2023/24 are due to be published next month.

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) started writing to older men and women in September 2023, whose National Insurance (NI) records may have been affected by missing periods of Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP), resulting in a shortfall in their State Pension payments.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has removed the online claim forms for the 2023/24 Winter Fuel Payment for people living in the UK and retirees living abroad. The closing date for applications for the annual heating bill help was Sunday, March 31 - which means anyone who missed the deadline will not be entitled to up to £600.

An open letter to Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt MP, demanding a debate and vote in Parliament on compensation for Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) campaign, has been signed by more than 156,000 people in just 10 days.

Millions of older people in receipt of the New or Basic State Pension are set for a significant boost this year after the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) confirmed payments will rise by 8.5 per cent from April 8, 2024. Those with additional State Pension elements or deferred payments, will see an uplift of 6.7 per cent.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) recently confirmed that State Pension and benefit payment rates will rise from April 8, 2024. State Pensions will go up by 8.5 per cent, under the Triple Lock, while most working age and disability benefits will increase by the September Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation rate of 6.7 per cent.

More than 41,000 people have signed an online petition created by Angela Madden, chair of the Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) campaign, urging the Leader of the House of Commons to “urgently” give MPs the opportunity to debate and vote on compensation for women affected by changes to their State Pension age.

Pensioners across the country will see a boost to their income next month.

A retirement expert has warned that the State Pension underpayment corrections exercise is making progress, but warns it is “slow” with “a very long way to go”. Helen Morrissey, head of retirement analysis at Hargreaves Lansdown, said that new data from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) shows that arrears payments have been made to nearly 100,000 women due to historical errors.

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) published a report on Thursday which said that the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) failed to adequately communicate changes to women’s State Pension age, and those affected are owed compensation. As a result of its findings, the Ombudsman has asked Parliament to intervene and “act swiftly” to make sure a compensation scheme is established.

More than 39,500 people have signed an online petition calling for income tax on the State Pension to be scrapped in order to help “reduce the tax burden on pensioners” despite the UK Government rejecting the proposal earlier this year. The petition was created after it was announced in November the Personal Allowance income threshold will remain frozen at £12,570 during the 2024/25 financial year.

Millions of 1950s-born women who lost out when the State Pension age changed cannot afford to wait much longer for compensation, campaigners said as they acknowledged that for some it was “already too late”. Age UK accused the UK Government of “seemingly endlessly dragging its feet in situations when there have been clear findings of fault”, and compared the situation to concerns around the Windrush Compensation Scheme and the Post Office and Contaminated Blood scandals.