Bereaved families across the UK are being urged to act quickly to recover potential state pension underpayments, as the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) closes its investigation into thousands of historical cases. For years, pension errors—particularly affecting older married women and widows—have resulted in underpayments ranging from a few hundred pounds to over £100,000, according to Birmingham Mail.
An investigation in 2021 found that the DWP had routinely deleted state pension records four years after the death of a pensioner or their surviving spouse. This practice, which ended in January 2021 and has been paused until December 31, 2026, left families unable to trace lost payments for deceased relatives.
Warnings Over Record Deletion and Case Closures
Despite halting further record deletions, the DWP has now started sending letters to families confirming it is closing underpayment investigations—sparking anger from campaigners and affected relatives.
Liberal Democrat MP Steve Darling criticised the move:
“It’s deeply troubling that families are being told the DWP can’t check because records have supposedly been deleted. Bereaved families deserve transparency and a fair chance to ensure their relatives received what they were entitled to.”
He acknowledged the DWP’s recent decision to allow claim reviews if evidence is submitted as “a step forward.”
The department has said it will now consider new claims if sufficient evidence can be provided, including old DWP letters and bank statements that show historic pension payment amounts.
Families Urged to Search for Evidence
Steve Webb, a partner at consultancy LCP, expressed frustration on behalf of families who registered details with the DWP only to receive no meaningful response.
“It is immensely frustrating for people who registered details of a loved one to be kept waiting years for a response, only to be told that records have been deleted,” he said.
He continued:
“For people who have waited for years for a response from the Government, it is pretty shocking to get a letter out of the blue saying that nothing can be done because the records have been destroyed.”
Webb warned that the situation could now force many families to act as “private detectives”, adding:
“This will almost certainly turn families into private detectives having to dig out any records they can find in order to challenge the DWP if they think underpayments have occurred.”
What Families Should Do Now
To support a claim, families should look for old bank statements, DWP correspondence, or documents showing changes in pension payments around key milestones—such as a spouse retiring or passing away. These details can be compared with historic state pension rates to identify possible underpayments.
The DWP stated that it will accept submissions from next of kin or estate representatives if relevant proof is available. A department spokesperson said:
“We always encourage next of kin and representatives of deceased customers to contact us if they have relevant proof such as historical letters from the department so we may be able to review the customer’s state pension award.”
With official reviews now closed and records already deleted in some cases, families must act quickly and gather any available documentation if they hope to recover what may be thousands in unpaid entitlements.
