Many people who recently paid to boost their State Pension are now facing a huge delay of up to eight months. This has left pensioners worried and frustrated as they wait to see the extra money they’re entitled to.
According to recent reports, those who made voluntary National Insurance (NI) contributions before the April deadline are now being told by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) that there’s a long queue. The backlog is because many people rushed to top up their pensions at the same time.
What Caused the Delay?
In March, lots of pensioners rushed to make voluntary payments after the government reminded people they could fill in missing NI years to increase their State Pension. This sudden spike in payments overwhelmed the system.
One of them, Sharon Gray, a retired civil servant from Herefordshire, paid £6,000 in March to boost her pension. She was later told by a DWP staff member over the phone that the waiting time is currently six to eight months. The official simply said, “We are just working our way through them and there is nothing you can do. You have to wait.”
No Prioritisation for Current Pensioners?
Mrs Gray was surprised by the lack of updates about this serious delay. She also pointed out that the DWP has no system in place to prioritise older people who are already receiving the State Pension. She questioned whether any extra staff were being hired to manage the situation.
She said, “Given the media push about topping up pensions before the deadline, I expected some public update or plan to handle the load.”
What Is the DWP Saying?
A DWP spokesperson has responded by denying the delay claims, stating:
“We do not recognise these claims and we are prioritising customers over State Pension age so they can receive the immediate support to which they are entitled.”
They also said that the department has now doubled the number of staff working on these payments and is trying to process them quickly.
Expert Opinion: A Preventable Problem
Steve Webb, a former Pensions Minister and now a pensions expert at LCP, criticised the situation. He said that people who are already retired and paid to boost their pension should not have to wait so long.
He added, “The Government must have known there would be a surge in payments before the deadline and should have made better plans.”
Webb also pointed out that many pensioners are losing money in another way — they’re missing out on interest on the thousands of pounds they’ve already paid while they wait months for the pension top-up to be added.
This delay is deeply frustrating for thousands of pensioners who took action to improve their retirement income. While the DWP says it is working hard to catch up, experts argue that better preparation could have avoided such long waiting times. Until then, many pensioners like Mrs Gray are left waiting for months, without any clear idea of when their extra payments will arrive.
FAQs
Why is there a delay in State Pension top-up payments?
Many pensioners paid to boost their pensions before the April deadline, creating a backlog of payments for the DWP to process.
How long is the current waiting time?
According to DWP staff, the wait time for processing top-ups is between six to eight months.
Are pensioners losing money during the delay?
Yes. Experts say pensioners are missing out on interest they could be earning on the thousands they’ve already paid.
Is DWP doing anything to fix the delay?
The DWP says it has doubled the number of staff working on processing payments and is prioritising older pensioners.
Can pensioners speed up the process?
No, according to DWP staff, there is nothing individuals can do but wait for their payment to be processed.
