HMRC Extra Money to Womens aged between 60 and 79 Years: Check these Conditions

Thousands of women aged between 60 and 79 may be receiving less State Pension than they deserve, according to a warning from HMRC. This issue is linked to missing Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP) records—an older scheme that helped parents and carers get credit toward their pension.

Let’s take a closer look at the situation and how it might affect you or someone you know.

What Is Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP)?

Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP) was a government scheme introduced in 1978. It was created to help people—mostly women—who took time off work to raise children or care for sick or disabled family members.

HRP worked by reducing the number of qualifying National Insurance (NI) years needed to get a full State Pension. This scheme ran until 5 April 2010 and was then replaced with National Insurance credits, which work differently by adding credit years to your record.

What’s the Problem?

Many women who claimed Child Benefit before May 2000 didn’t have to give their National Insurance number as part of the application. Because of this, HRP was not always correctly linked to their NI records.

So even if someone was eligible and should have received HRP, their official records might not show it. This can lead to fewer qualifying years being counted—and that means a lower State Pension payout than what they’re entitled to.

Who Is Most Likely Affected?

This issue mostly affects women aged 60 to 79 today, particularly those born between 1940 and 1960 who were stay-at-home mothers or carers during the late 70s to 90s. If they claimed Child Benefit during this time but didn’t provide their NI number, they could have missing HRP records.

Real-Life Case Example

A woman shared on an HMRC forum that her mother-in-law, born in 1944, wasn’t getting a full State Pension. When she checked her NI schedule, it showed no contributions between 1978 and 1988, even though she was claiming Child Benefit for two children during that time.

Later, HMRC confirmed that HRP had been applied to her account, but the record didn’t show this clearly. This caused confusion and doubt about whether her pension amount was calculated properly.

What HMRC Said in Response

According to HMRC, HRP does not show up as credits in NI records the way newer NI credits do. Instead, for each full year of HRP, the number of years needed for a full pension was reduced. The Pension Service, not HMRC, is responsible for calculating pension amounts based on this data.

HMRC advised that if you have a letter confirming HRP was applied, you should call the Pension Service at 0800 731 0469. They can check how your pension entitlement was calculated and whether HRP was taken into account.

What Should You Do?

If you or someone in your family is affected:

1. Request a full National Insurance schedule to review all your contributions and credit history.
2. If you claimed Child Benefit before 2000, check whether your NI number was provided.
3. If something looks wrong or missing, contact HMRC or The Pension Service and ask them to check if HRP was applied.
4. Keep any letters or proof from HMRC about HRP for future reference.

This is a serious issue that could affect thousands of women who spent years caring for children or family members. Many may not even know that they’re receiving a lower pension due to an administrative error made decades ago.

It’s important to check your records and take action if needed. While the government has committed to correcting these errors, it may take time. In the meantime, checking your own case could help you receive what you’re rightfully owed. Even a few extra qualifying years could mean thousands of pounds more over your retirement.

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