Ability to top up State Pension starts in 2015

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has launched its latest campaign regarding State Pensions. The new campaign focuses on the ability for a limited period for pensioners (and those due to reach State Pension Age (SPA) before April 2016) to top up their State Pensions.

As part of the campaign material, Michelle Cracknell, Chief Executive of the Pensions Advisory Service, provides an expert view on how you can top up your State Pension. You can watch the video here on the YouTube channel, PensionsTube.  

Some of the key points about the new State Pension are:

• The ability to top up your State Pension, only applies to people who are currently pensioners or who reach their SPA before 6 April 2016.
• The window to top up runs between October 2015 and April 2017.
• As an example, if you're 65 and you pay a lump sum of £890, you would receive an extra pension of £52 a year. This compares with life expectancy of over 20 years for 65 year olds.
• For those who make Class 3 A NI contributions, the DWP states that making good any gaps in National Insurance records might be a better route than the State Pension top up (although both can be made).

You can find out more information about the changes here. And, further details of the current and future State Pensions in the UK, can be found here on our State Pension section of our website.