news story

15th March 2010

MP in Last Ditch Bid to Secure Thousands of Pounds for Local Pensioners

Northavon MP and pensions specialist Steve Webb has launched a final attempt to secure thousands of pounds in underpaid state pensions for his constituents before a deadline on 5th April.

Volunteer deliverers are currently distributing more than 30,000 copies of the MP’s 2010 report back to constituents which highlights on its front page a special Government scheme to help women pensioners born between April 1938 and October 1944. The MP has already helped dozens of local women to secure a total of over £50,000 in underpaid pensions through a special scheme which runs out early next month.

Under the scheme, some women born between those dates can fill gaps in their record of National Insurance contributions from the late 1990s and get a boost to their state pension on very favourable terms. Many such women end up getting a large cash refund at no cost to themselves.

In recent weeks the MP has found more women who qualify for the scheme and who will now get refunds running into hundreds or, in some cases, thousands of pounds. This week in the House of Commons Steve Webb obtained a guarantee that eligible constituents who contact the MP before 5th April about this issue will be able to qualify for the scheme even if sorting out the paperwork goes into the next financial year.

Steve Webb said:

“Many women get by on very poor pensions despite a lifetime of working, bringing up families and contributing in a whole host of ways. This special scheme applies to a narrow group of women who were not entitled to much pension when they retired but may be able to get some cash back now. I hope that women born between April 1938 and October 1944 and who think they have gaps in their National Insurance record in the late 1990s will contact me. Not everyone will qualify, but some will, and time is running out”.

The main group of women who may come under the scheme are those who were born in the period from April 1938 to October 1944, who are currently drawing less than a full pension of £95 per week and who stopped work a year or more before they reached pension age.

They are encouraged to contact Steve Webb as soon as possible by e-mail to steve@stevewebb.org.uk or by calling his constituency office on 01454 322100. They will need to have details to hand of their pension situation including their National Insurance number.