Did your loved one receive the correct amount of State Pension?

The Department for Work and Pensions has recently announced a new, user-friendly website to allow next of kin to claim underpaid state pensions owed to those who have passed away. It follows criticism of the lack of information and guidance given to people who believed their deceased family members were underpaid.

It is estimated that around 134,000 people had been underpaid and are owed around one billion pounds. By the time the issue had been discovered, many of these people had sadly died.

Until now, there has been no easy way for those who believe their deceased family member was underpaid to make sure the Department for Work and Pensions had their contact details and knew who to pay, in the event of an error being found.

After pressure from campaigners, the Department for Work and Pensions has produced a user-friendly website to be used by the next of kin of those who believe that a deceased family member was underpaid state pension.

Although this comes too late to benefit the person who was underpaid, at least their family will receive some compensation for the error.

To undertake the search visit https://www.gov.uk/guidance/request-information-about-underpaid-state-pension-for-someone-who-has-died#how-to-find-out-if-someone-was-underpaid

Serena Elliott is a Consultant Private Client Solicitor with Bate & Albon Solicitors. She is also a member of Solicitors for the Elderly and a Dementia Friend.