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’s, wife’s or civil partner’s 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 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
Relay UK (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 731 0469
Welsh language: 0800 731 0453
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm (except public holidays)
Find out about call charges
British Sign Language (BSL) [video(BSL) video relay service]
(https://connect.interpreterslive.co.uk/vrs?ilc=DWP) ifservice if you’re on a computer - find out how to use the service on mobile or tablet
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 contact the Northern Ireland Pension Centre.
If the person who died lived in another country
If the person who died lived abroad 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 | £230.25 |
| April 2024 | £221.20 |
| April 2023 | £203.85 |
| April 2022 | £185.15 |
| April 2021 | £179.60 |
| April 2020 | £175.20 |
| April 2019 | £168.60 |
| April 2018 | £164.35 |
| April 2017 | £159.55 |
| April 2016 | £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 | £176.45 | £105.70 |
| April 2024 | £169.50 | £101.55 |
| April 2023 | £156.20 | £93.60 |
| April 2022 | £141.85 | £85.00 |
| April 2021 | £137.60 | £82.45 |
| April 2020 | £134.25 | £80.45 |
| April 2019 | £129.20 | £77.45 |
| April 2018 | £125.95 | £75.50 |
| April 2017 | £122.30 | £73.30 |
| April 2016 | £119.30 | £71.50 |
| April 2015 | £115.95 | £69.50 |
| April 2014 | £113.10 | £67.80 |
| April 2013 | £110.15 | £66.00 |
| April 2012 | £107.45 | £64.40 |
| April 2011 | £102.15 | £61.20 |
| April 2010 | £97.65 | £58.50 |
| April 2009 | £95.25 | £57.05 |
| April 2008 | £90.70 | £54.35 |
| April 2007 | £87.30 | £52.30 |
| April 2006 | £84.25 | £50.50 |
| April 2005 | £82.05 | £49.15 |
| April 2004 | £79.60 | £47.65 |
| April 2003 | £77.45 | £46.35 |
| April 2002 | £75.50 | £45.20 |
| April 2001 | £72.50 | £43.40 |
| April 2000 | £67.50 | £40.40 |
| April 1999 | £66.75 | £39.95 |
| April 1998 | £64.70 | £38.70 |
| April 1997 | £62.45 | £37.35 |
| April 1996 | £61.15 | £36.60 |
| April 1995 | £58.85 | £35.25 |
| April 1994 | £57.60 | £34.50 |
| April 1993 | £56.10 | £33.70 |
| April 1992 | £54.15 | £32.55 |
| April 1991 | £52.00 | £31.25 |
| April 1990 | £46.90 | £28.20 |
| April 1989 | £43.60 | £26.20 |
| April 1988 | £41.15 | £24.75 |
| April 1987 | £39.50 | £23.75 |
| July 1986 | £38.70 | £23.25 |
| November 1985 | £38.30 | £23.00 |
| November 1984 | £35.80 | £21.50 |
| November 1983 | £34.05 | £20.45 |
| November 1982 | £32.85 | £19.70 |
| November 1981 | £29.60 | £17.75 |
| November 1980 | £27.15 | £16.30 |
| November 1979 | £23.30 | £14.00 |
| November 1978 | £19.50 | £11.70 |
| November 1977 | £17.50 | £10.50 |
| November 1976 | £15.30 | £9.20 |
| November 1975 | £13.30 | £8.20 |
| April 1975 | £11.60 | £6.90 |
| July 1974 | £10.00 | £6.00 |
| October 1973 | £7.75 | £4.75 |
| October 1972 | £6.75 | £4.15 |
| September 1971 | £6.00 | £3.70 |
Updates to this page
Last updated
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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.