Request information about underpaid State Pension for someone who has died
Guidance for the next of kin or executor for someone who has died who may have been underpaid State Pension.
Applies to England, Scotland and Wales
In 2020, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) identified that some of the following people may have been underpaid State Pension:
- people who were married or widowed when they died
- people aged 80 or over when they died
This is because they did not get the automatic increase in their pension that they were entitled to.
If the person who died reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016
Find out when someone reached State Pension age.
If they were married
They may have been underpaid if both of the following applied:
- they got less than the lower basic State Pension (also called a Category BL State Pension)
- they did not get an increase through their husband, wife or civil partner
If they were widowed
They may have been underpaid if they did not inherit some of their husband鈥檚, wife鈥檚 or civil partner鈥檚 State Pension.
If they were aged 80 or over
They may have been underpaid if they were getting some basic State Pension but got less than the聽amount of the over 80 pension (also called a Category D State Pension).
If the person who died reached State Pension age on or after 6 April 2016
Find out when someone reached State Pension age.
If they were widowed
They may have been underpaid if they did not inherit State Pension they were entitled to from a spouse or civil partner.
How to contact us
Where we knew their details, we wrote to the next of kin or executor of those who may have been affected. We did this between 11 January 2021 and 31 December 2024.
You can contact us about someone you think may have been underpaid State Pension if both of the following apply:
- you are their next of kin or executor
- we have not contacted you
You will need to provide the following information about the person who has died:
- their full name
- their date of birth
- their date of death
- their last known address, including their postcode
- the full name of their husband, wife or civil partner, if they were married or in a civil partnership
It will help us to deal with your enquiry quicker if you can also provide their National Insurance number
If you have already contacted us, you do not need to contact us again.
If the person who died lived in Great Britain
Telephone: 0800 731 0469
Textphone: 0800 731 0464
聽(if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 731 0469
British Sign Language (BSL)聽[video relay service] (https://connect.interpreterslive.co.uk/vrs?ilc=DWP)聽if you鈥檙e on a computer - find out how to聽
Welsh language: 0800 731 0453
Welsh language textphone: 0800 731 0456
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm (except public holidays)
If the person who died lived in Northern Ireland
If the person who died lived in Northern Ireland聽.
If the person who died lived in another country
If the person who died lived abroad聽contact the International Pension Centre.
State Pension rates
People who reached State Pension age on or after 6 April 2016
| Date rate applies from | New State Pension rate |
|---|---|
| April 2025聽 | 拢230.25 |
| April 2024聽 | 拢221.20 |
| April 2023聽 | 拢203.85 |
| April 2022聽 | 拢185.15 |
| April 2021 | 拢179.60 |
| April 2020 | 拢175.20 |
| April 2019 | 拢168.60 |
| April 2018 | 拢164.35 |
| April 2017 | 拢159.55 |
| April 2016 | 拢155.65 |
People who reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016
| Date rate applies from | Full basic State Pension rate | Lower basic State Pension and over 80 State Pension rate |
|---|---|---|
| April 2025聽 | 拢176.45 | 拢105.70 |
| April 2024聽 | 拢169.50 | 拢101.55 |
| April 2023聽 | 拢156.20 | 拢93.60 |
| April 2022聽 | 拢141.85 | 拢85.00 |
| April 2021 | 拢137.60 | 拢82.45 |
| April 2020 | 拢134.25 | 拢80.45 |
| April 2019 | 拢129.20 | 拢77.45 |
| April 2018 | 拢125.95 | 拢75.50 |
| April 2017 | 拢122.30 | 拢73.30 |
| April 2016 | 拢119.30 | 拢71.50 |
| April 2015 | 拢115.95 | 拢69.50 |
| April 2014 | 拢113.10 | 拢67.80 |
| April 2013 | 拢110.15 | 拢66.00 |
| April 2012 | 拢107.45 | 拢64.40 |
| April 2011 | 拢102.15 | 拢61.20 |
| April 2010 | 拢97.65 | 拢58.50 |
| April 2009 | 拢95.25 | 拢57.05 |
| April 2008 | 拢90.70 | 拢54.35 |
| April 2007 | 拢87.30 | 拢52.30 |
| April 2006 | 拢84.25 | 拢50.50 |
| April 2005 | 拢82.05 | 拢49.15 |
| April 2004 | 拢79.60 | 拢47.65 |
| April 2003 | 拢77.45 | 拢46.35 |
| April 2002 | 拢75.50 | 拢45.20 |
| April 2001 | 拢72.50 | 拢43.40 |
| April 2000 | 拢67.50 | 拢40.40 |
| April 1999 | 拢66.75 | 拢39.95 |
| April 1998 | 拢64.70 | 拢38.70 |
| April 1997 | 拢62.45 | 拢37.35 |
| April 1996 | 拢61.15 | 拢36.60 |
| April 1995 | 拢58.85 | 拢35.25 |
| April 1994 | 拢57.60 | 拢34.50 |
| April 1993 | 拢56.10 | 拢33.70 |
| April 1992 | 拢54.15 | 拢32.55 |
| April 1991 | 拢52.00 | 拢31.25 |
| April 1990 | 拢46.90 | 拢28.20 |
| April 1989 | 拢43.60 | 拢26.20 |
| April 1988 | 拢41.15 | 拢24.75 |
| April 1987 | 拢39.50 | 拢23.75 |
| July 1986 | 拢38.70 | 拢23.25 |
| November 1985 | 拢38.30 | 拢23.00 |
| November 1984 | 拢35.80 | 拢21.50 |
| November 1983 | 拢34.05 | 拢20.45 |
| November 1982 | 拢32.85 | 拢19.70 |
| November 1981 | 拢29.60 | 拢17.75 |
| November 1980 | 拢27.15 | 拢16.30 |
| November 1979 | 拢23.30 | 拢14.00 |
| November 1978 | 拢19.50 | 拢11.70 |
| November 1977 | 拢17.50 | 拢10.50 |
| November 1976 | 拢15.30 | 拢9.20 |
| November 1975 | 拢13.30 | 拢8.20 |
| April 1975 | 拢11.60 | 拢6.90 |
| July 1974 | 拢10.00 | 拢6.00 |
| October 1973 | 拢7.75 | 拢4.75 |
| October 1972 | 拢6.75 | 拢4.15 |
| September 1971 | 拢6.00 | 拢3.70 |
Updates to this page
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The 'Request information about underpaid State Pension for someone who has died' service has closed. The link to the service has been removed, and information about how to contact DWP about someone who may have been underpaid State Pension has been added.
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Changes made to the guidance to provide further clarity on the situations when people should contact the Department for Work and Pensions if they believe that that a person who has died may have been underpaid State Pension.
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Added translation