Pensioners who have topped up their National Insurance records have been issued a warning as they could potentially face a months-long wait for their state pension increases. The surge in state pension top-ups has reportedly resulted in a six to eight-month delay in processing payments.

This year marked the final deadline for topping up state pension payments through voluntary National Insurance contributions.

Under existing rules, you require 35 qualifying years on your National Insurance record – some individuals may need more – to claim the full new state pension. Typically, you need 10 years to receive anything at all.

If your record has gaps, you could end up receiving much less than anticipated, but you can make voluntary contributions to fill these gaps. Prior to April 5, it was

This Is Money spoke to retired civil servant Sharon Gray from Herefordshire who paid £6,000 back in March to top up her record, reports the Mirror. When Sharon reached out to both HMRC and the DWP to inquire about when she should expect her state pension payments to increase, she was informed by a staff member that the current payment processing period was six to eight months.

Sharon experienced delays with her state pension increase and was informed by staff that existing pensioners would not get fast-tracked. Sharing her frustrations with This is Money, Sharon said: “We are just working our way through them and there is nothing you can do. You have to wait.”

Yet, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has declared its focus on those over 66, stating it has doubled staff assigned to handle top-ups. Addressing these concerns, a DWP representative said: “We do not recognise these claims and we are prioritising customers over state pension age so they can receive the immediate support to which they are entitled.

“We have doubled the number of staff on the team and are working at pace to process payments to customers.”

Other pensioners relayed to This is Money their lengthy waits for state pension enhancements. One soon-to-be pensioner filled their National Insurance shortfall last November but even after six months, their account remains unchanged.

Another, a 66 year old living in France, said they made updates in January but still anticipates their payment rise. For those aged over 66, it’s worth noting you’ll be compensated for any delays with backdated state pension arrears starting from when your top-up was paid, ensuring no financial loss in the end

Former Pensions Minister Steve Webb, commenting on the expected timeline, said: “For those who are already over state pension age and short of a full pension, it cannot be right that they have to wait months to get their pension reassessed.

“The Government must have known that there would be a surge of payments in the weeks and months leading up to the final deadline and should have put in place extra capacity to keep processing times down.”

Now a partner and pension consultant at LCP, Webb further noted: “As things stand, people are losing out on the interest on hundreds or thousands of pounds in contributions and simply have to sit and wait until their case gets to the top of the queue.”

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