Recent figures from the Department for Work and Pensions have revealed that £209.3million in State Pension underpayments have been repaid to 31,817 pensioners since the correction exercise began. Those underpaid include some pensioners who were married and should have received an upgraded State Pension, people who were widowed and people over 80, the Daily Record reports.
But the DWP figures also show that arrears payments made to married women average £6,929, for widowed pensioners it averages £10,772 and for those over 80, £3,172. After the figures were published, a pensions expert labelled the total repaid is a "drop in the ocean" when compared to the amount estimated to have been underpaid overall.
Helen Morrissey, senior pensions and retirement analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: “The data shows the DWP has so far handed back more than £209 million to people affected by State Pension underpayments. This is progress but a drop in the ocean when compared to the almost £1.5 billion estimated to have been underpaid overall.
