{"id":13338,"date":"2025-04-12T09:09:08","date_gmt":"2025-04-12T09:09:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/13338\/"},"modified":"2025-04-12T09:09:08","modified_gmt":"2025-04-12T09:09:08","slug":"dwp-letter-to-look-out-for-as-brits-close-to-state-pension-age-told-you-have-to-claim-it-personal-finance-finance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/13338\/","title":{"rendered":"DWP letter to look out for as Brits close to state pension age told ‘you have to claim it’ | Personal Finance | Finance"},"content":{"rendered":"

According to the DWP, the state pension<\/a> helps support 13 million older people across the UK and payments are triggered when people reach state retirement age (SAR), which is currently 66 for both men and women. To get the state pension<\/a>, you will need to have paid at least 10 years’ worth of National Insurance Contributions (NICs).<\/a><\/p>\n

The first state pension<\/a> payment might also be higher or lower than expected even with full National Insurance contributions. However, people approaching the official age of retirement this year may not be aware the state pension<\/a> is not paid automatically and needs to be claimed. Retirees who do not claim their state pension<\/a> could face a delay in receiving their first payment of up to \u00a3230.25 each week, or \u00a3921 every four-weeks.<\/p>\n

The money is not paid automatically because some people choose to defer their retirement in order to keep working and generate more towards their pension pot, especially if they have not paid the full quota of 35 years’ worth of National Insurance Contributions, or were ‘contracted out’.<\/p>\n

The DWP<\/a> states: \u201cYou do not get your state pension<\/a> automatically – you have to claim it. You should get a letter no later than two months before you reach state pension<\/a> age, telling you what to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

The DWP<\/a> clarifies you can either claim your state pensin<\/a> or delay (defer) claiming it. It states: \u201cIf you want to defer, you do not have to do anything. Your pension will automatically be deferred until you claim it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Which means, unless you respond to the letter confirming you want to start claiming the state pension<\/a>, you will not receive any payments as the DWP<\/a> will interpret no response as a wish to defer.<\/p>\n

Deferring your State Pension<\/a> could increase the payments you get each week when you decide to claim it, as long as you defer for at least nine weeks. It increases by the equivalent of 1% for every nine weeks you defer, this works out as just under 5.8% for every 52 weeks.<\/p>\n

The extra amount is paid with your regular pension payment, however, it\u2019s important to be aware any extra payments you get from deferring could be taxed – find out more on GOV.UK here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

It’s also important to be aware deferred State Pensions increase each year in line with the September Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation rate and not the highest measure of the triple lock<\/a> policy.<\/p>\n

The DWP<\/a> has published the full list of state pension<\/a> and benefit uprated payments on GOV.UK here<\/a>, which also includes additional elements such as the deferred rates, which are rising by 1.7 per cent (September Consumer Price Index inflation rate).<\/p>\n

Full new state pension<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n