New state pension or benefit claimants cannot use Post Office accounts

People who start getting the state pension or receiving benefits from this week onward are barred from using a Post Office card account to collect their cash. The Government has announced new applicants will have to use a bank account, or a special scheme called the HMG Payment Exception Service if they can’t open one, … Read more

Married women get new tool to check their state pension is correct

Married women who fear they are being underpaid state pension can use new tool to check their record State pension scandal: Underpayments tot up to £35k-plus in our probe to date  The DWP has refused to confirm whether a full, systematic review is under way Are you being underpaid? Steve Webb and his firm LCP … Read more

I cashed in my £91k pension to buy a house but was overtaxed

I cashed in my entire private pension which was £91,000. I received around £62,000  and I applied for tax back four months ago. I still work but have been off the last five months with anxiety and depression, so obviously haven’t earned the same as usual. I’ve earned just over £8,000 this year. I bought … Read more

Six MORE elderly women underpaid total of £22k in state pension

Paid £6k: Glenis Madden had previously asked the DWP to check her state pension – but was told it was CORRECT just a few months ago An untold number of elderly women could have lost out on thousands of pounds in state pension due to a devastating blunder by the Government. In the past few weeks, … Read more

Are YOU a married woman who is underpaid state pension?

Are you being underpaid state pension? How to check if YOU are due more By Tanya Jefferies for Thisismoney.co.uk Published: 07:30 BST, 5 May 2020 | Updated: 07:30 BST, 5 May 2020 Married women who retired on small state pensions before April 2016 should get an uplift to 60 per cent of their husband’s payments … Read more

My employer has handed my final salary pension to an insurer

Retirement concern: My employer has passed my final salary pension to an insurer – how safe is it now? I have just read your column on final salary pensions. In common with many others, my employer passed on its scheme to an insurance company which now pays me an annuity. What happens to my pension … Read more

‘I don’t want to fall victim to gender pension gap’: Money Diaries speaks to a 33-year-old on £36k

This is Money has launched a ‘money diaries’ series to reveal the spending habits – along with financial goals and worries – of ordinary people aged 18-35. It launched last year and this one was written before the coronavirus pandemic – a scenario which could have a devastating impact on personal finances.   We look under … Read more

Should you worry about your final salary pension as deficits deepen?

Workers with final salary pensions are likely be fearful about deepening deficits, not to mention the survival of their employers, thanks to the coronavirus markets crisis. Many savers have ditched these traditionally safe and generous pensions in recent years, tempted by huge transfer value offers, greater potential investment growth and inheritance advantages. But those considering … Read more

‘Family carer’ top-ups touted to close massive pension gender gap

An annual £875- a-year ‘family carer’ top-up to pensions is being floated to help close the gigantic gap between women and men’s pots at retirement age. Women are retiring on pensions a third the size of men’s, mainly because many opt to work part-time to shoulder caring responsibilities, according to recent research. Under the top-up … Read more