Pensions boost scheme - a special message from Steve Webb

Steve Webb says:

I am keen to draw the attention of local residents to a special scheme, part of which runs out in a few weeks’ time.   This is designed to enable certain people who have retired in the last few years (or who will retire over the next few years) to boost their state pension on favourable terms.

In brief, it applies to those who reached state pension age after April 2008 and who are not drawing a full state pension.   If this applies to you and you already have at least twenty years of contributions or credits (for time at home with children, for example) then you may be able to buy back extra years of contributions under a special scheme.  

There are two information sheets available, one for those who reached state pension age between 6 April 2008 and 5 April 2010, and a second for those who reached (or will reach) pension age between 6 April 2010 and 5 April 2015.   You can find them here:

2008-2010 information

2010-2015 information

There is a wide range of relevant information on this website: www.direct.gov.uk/topupni

I hope that this information is helpful.   If you have any queries about your eligibility for the pension boost scheme do let me know.   If so, it would be helpful if you could let me have your date of birth and NI number so that I can make further enquiries on your behalf if you wish.

With best wishes,

Steve Webb MP

You can email Steve on steve@stevewebb.org.uk, and you can also use the same address if you would like to be put on his list for occasional emails on issues that may interest you.

MP forces Government to u-turn on MP's pensions

Local MP Steve Webb has succeeded in forcing the Government to re-think its plans to increase the amount of money taxpayers put into the MPs' pension scheme. You can read more on Steve's blog.

Women's pensions - Steve Webb's campaign gets pension justice

Steve Webb MP has been campaigning to get proper state pension payments for women whose computer records had been lost, so that they weren't receiving credit for periods when they were at home raising children.

Steve was contacted by more than a thousand women who have been affected. Steve and his team identified a dozen key cases and took them to the Department of Work and Pensions, who agreed that they had lost out. One woman has received more than £10,000 in back pension and interest.

The Government has now agreed to trawl through millions of National Insurance Contribution records to identify the people affected - the back payments may add up to tens of millions of pounds.

For the full details, see Steve Webb's blog.