Pensioners born before these dates could get extra DWP cash | Personal Finance | Finance

Some pensioners born before a specific date could be entitled to receive additional funds alongside their State Pension.

The Additional State Pension is only accessible to those who claim the basic State Pension, not the new State Pension. This version of the State Pension is given to those who have made a qualifying amount of National Insurance contributions and were born before April 6, 1951 if they’re a man or April 6, 1953

The extra amount you’ll receive with your State Pension will depend on various factors. These include your earnings, the number of years of National Insurance contributions you’ve made, and whether your Pension was topped up between October 2015 and April 2017.

Who is eligible for the Additional State Pension?

To qualify for the Additional State Pension, you must have reached the State Pension age before 6 April 2016. If this applies to you and you began claiming the basic State Pension, then you should automatically receive the Additional State Pension as long as you’re eligible for it in most situations.

Bear in mind that the Additional State Pension comprises three different schemes, and you may have contributed to more than one. These can include the following three schemes:

• State Earnings-Related Pension Scheme (SERPS) – Between 2002 and 2016 you would have contributed if you were employed or claiming certain benefits
• State Second Pension – Between 1978 and 2002 you would have contributed if you were employed
• State Pension top-up – From October 12, 2015 to April 5, 2017 you would have contributed if you reached the State Pension age before April 6, 2016 and opted in

When you will not get the Additional State Pension

There are instances when you won’t receive the Additional State Pension automatically, even if you’re eligible. This is likely if you were contracted out of it, possibly due to your employer running a contracted-out pension scheme.

If you’re uncertain whether this applies to you, you’ll need to get in touch with your pension provider for confirmation. Alternatively, an old payslip can provide further details about the type of pension you receive.

If neither of these options are feasible, the Pension Tracing Service can help you find your pension provider’s details. During the period of a contracted-out scheme, you wouldn’t have made any contributions towards the Additional State Pension.

Moreover, while contracted out, you would have paid lower National Insurance contributions. This only applies if you didn’t pay the reduced rate of National Insurance, were below the State Pension age, or earned between £155 and £770 a week.

However, official guidance indicates that the additional pension received from a contracted-out scheme is typically either equivalent to or more than the Additional State Pension.

Full details of the Additional State Pension can be found online here.