DWP state pension error sees thousands owed up to 12,486 | Personal Finance | Finance [Video]

More than 90,000 pensioners robbed of financial security due to errors by the Department of Work and Pensioners (DWP) have received back payments of up to £12,486.

Details of back payments owed to tens of thousands of older people have been published in a document called LEAP – Legal Entitlements and Administrative Practice (LEAP) operation.

The groups involved include married women, individuals in a civil partnership, widows and individuals over 80 years of age.

Finance experts say a significant number of older people are likely to have suffered real hardship due to the mistakes.

A review of payment data covering January 11, 2021, and February 29, 2024, vetted 705,688 State Pension accounts for potential mistakes with a cumulative £571.6 million due in underpayments to these women.

As a result, 97,016 State Pension recipients, largely women, have received back payments averaging £2,192, £5,713 and £12,486.

This LEAP exercise update provides information for four groups of older people – married women (category …