Manchester Lib Dem MP John Leech is urging elderly women to see if they are eligible for a supplement to their pensions. A scheme which would allow women born between April 1938 and October 1944 to supplement their pensions considerably is due to end on 5th April 2010, in less than two weeks.
The scheme allows eligible women to ‘buy back’ certain missing years in their National Insurance record on exceptionally favourable terms.
If they ‘buy back’ one or more of those years they would benefit by paying the going rate of contributions that prevailed at the time rather than the current rate. If the backdated pension they then become entitled to is bigger than the cost of buying back the missing years, they will receive a cheque for the difference.
John Leech MP said, “This is incredible and could mean that as many as one in four pensioners might be entitled to extra money at no cost to themselves.
“I would encourage women who think they might be eligible to contact the National Insurance Deficiency Notice Helpline directly on 0845 915 5996.”
