State pensioners across the UK have been increasing their pensions by thousands of pounds after a deadline last year allowed them to top up missing National Insurance contributions dating back to 2006. Personal finance expert Martin Lewis, known for his appearances on ITV and BBC, has called on pensioners to share their experiences of using the State Pension Top-Up callback service.
On the social platform X, Lewis asked, “Did you use the State Pension Top-Up callback form before the end of the last tax year to buy back contributions? I want to hear if everyone who used it has been called back and completed the process, or decided not to if that was best.”
Many pensioners have shared their varied experiences.
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Janet Kearns reported a successful outcome: “Thanks to your advice, my pension increased by £1,000 a year. I only had to pay £100 for one year. I had previously ignored it because the jargon was confusing, but your clear guidance made it easy.”
However, others faced significant frustration. Ali described the process as “a nightmare” with multiple callbacks, confusion about who was contacting them, unupdated records, and difficulty getting through to the Pensions Service. After writing in, Ali heard nothing back.
Rebecca Butler also struggled: “They called me early on a Saturday morning when I didn’t have my phone on. Eight months later, after trying to top up online, I still feel stuck in a never-ending loop.”
David Taylor was cautious due to scam fears: “I got a call that seemed legitimate but wasn’t sure if it was a scam after giving my NI number. A year later, a second call outlined what was needed but asked for immediate payment. I asked for written confirmation.”
Tyke shared ongoing confusion: “I got a call in January about using my wife’s childcare contributions to top up credits since I retired from the forces in 2012 and was the main childcarer. They couldn’t really help and gave me a different phone number, which was constantly busy.”
BSW was suspicious of a caller with a foreign accent who knew personal information but refused to share details held by HMRC when asked, leading them to hang up.
Jules had a positive result: “I completed the process, paid what was required, and HMRC confirmed receipt. My payment is now awaiting allocation.”
Meanwhile, Trueby remains anxious: “I’m still waiting for my callback, with my pension due in September. I’ve tried calling the helpline but can’t make sense of the options. What should I do?”
While many pensioners have benefited from topping up their National Insurance record, these mixed experiences highlight ongoing issues with communication and service delivery in the process.