Drive to help women boost their state pension
06 May 2008
The issue of women whose state pensions are reduced as a result of incomplete national insurance contributions has been highlighted many times.
Under a special concession, women with gaps in their contribution history between April 1996 and April 2002 can "buy back" those missing years at a reduced rate until April 2010.
The government has identified a particular group of women who should benefit, and who will shortly receive letters from the Pension Service inviting them to claim the extra money.
Any extra state pension entitlement they receive will be backdated to the time they first started receiving their pension. If the amount due is more than the cost of paying the extra contributions, then they will receive a lump sum as well as an enhanced pension in the future.
Click here to read more about paying voluntary NI contributions.
