news story

3rd May 2008

West MP in £100 Million Campaign Triumph for Pensioners

   Click here to download a Government factsheet

A year of campaigning by Northavon MP Steve Webb has resulted in two Government announcements today (Saturday) which will lead to a pension boost of up to £100 million for women pensioners.

For the last 12 months the Lib Dem MP has had a series of meetings with pension ministers to highlight two problems with state pension arrangements for women. The first problem related to thousands of women who were missing out on the pension protection to which they were entitled for years at home bringing up a family. The second concerned women who were missing out on the chance to get hundreds of pounds in backdated pension payments by filling gaps in their National Insurance record.

Today, Pensions minister Mike O' Brien has announced that the Government will:

* spend a year trawling through the entire National Insurance computer to find the thousands of women who are missing out on their 'home responsibilities protection', and

* manually go through the cases of more than 70,000 women who could benefit from paying back missing National Insurance Contributions.

In addition, the DWP have prepared a factsheet so that any woman who is drawing a part pension can find out if she is entitled to more by paying back missing contributions. This is of particular relevance to women born between April 1938 and October 1944. The helpline number to call for a factsheet is 0845 602 1785.

Commenting on these decisions, pensions campaigner Steve Webb said:

"Over the last year I have heard from well over a thousand women from the West and from further afield who are concerned about their state pensions. I have investigated hundreds of individual cases and identified two major systematic problems which needed to be addressed.

"I am delighted that the Government have now responded to this campaign and are to take steps which could bring up to £100 million in enhanced pensions to women who are often living on very modest incomes.

"I now urge any woman living on a low pension - especially those born between April 1938 and October 1944 - to call the helpline for a factsheet to see if they are entitled to a larger pension".

Click here to see how this story was covered by Radio 4's Money Box

  Click here to read coverage in the Times