Not Getting as Much State Pension as Expected

dunstonh

I checked my pension several times during the run up to receiving it and was told it was fully paid up and no top up was necessary. On receiving it in November I found it was around £30 less than expected because "In the past you paid into a workplace pension instead of the Additional State Pension".

You weren't by mistake adding the cope figure to the main figure, were you?

The cope figure stopped being shown recently as too many people were getting confused with it and realistically, it no longer served any purpose.

Or perhaps looking at what you could get with full entitlement over remaining working years, but finished earnng too early to get that figure?

What figure are you getting?

pinnks

Leaving aside the reason for the apparent shortfall, you are still in time to make the voluntary payments you say you would have made had you known, etc. The increase would be from the date you pay the NI, not backdated to your pension age but as you have only recently started claiming the pension that would not be a massive issue.

xylophone

In the past you paid into a workplace pension instead of the Additional State Pension". this is called being contracted out. I dont even remember ever doing that.

Do you mean that you don't remember ever having been a member of a workplace pension or that you remember the pension/are in receipt of the pension but did not realise that it was contracted out?

You are sure that you did not ever start a personal pension (eg with an insurance company) that was contracted out?

https://techzone.aberdeenadviser.com/public/pensions/Tech-guide-contracting-out

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/pensions/contracted-out-pension/

With regard to your forecast(s), see this thread

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6655769/state-pension-amount

Are you sure that you were told that you could not improve your forecast any more?

molerat

If you post up a few anonymous details, listed below, some of us will be able to suggest a way forward

Current weekly £££.pp amount.
Number of full NI years 15-16 and earlier
Number of full NI years 16-17 and later
Years which show not full and prices

It can be assumed by the statements you have already posted that you were contracted out at some time, were you employed in public service such as civil service, local government, education, NHS etc and receiving a pension from them ?

Smasher1959

According to my NI Record I have 43 " Full Years" 7 of these occur from 16-17 the rest 15-16 and earlier, I did stop from the end of 2022 - 2023 and started getting my pension in November 2025. I was employed by local government and have been receiving a small pension from them since age 60.

Smasher1959

Sorry I should say for part of my career by local government but I never opted out whilst working for them

Dazed_and_C0nfused

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81888846#Comment_81888846

If you are £30/week shy of the standard new State Pension (£230.25/week) why didn't you buy 2023/24 and 2024/25?

They would add £13.15/week (in total) at current rates.

molerat

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81888849#Comment_81888849

Local government pensions were automatically contracted out.

I can't see how you are £30 pw short of the full pension with a 30+/7 split, that should give at least £222.51 pw pension - do you mean £30 short per 4 weeks ?

Smasher1959

Yes £30 per 4 weeks

xylophone

I was employed by local government and have been receiving a small pension from them since age 60.

I never opted out whilst working for them

The LGPS was a contracted out pension scheme until 5/4/16 when contracting out ended for Defined Benefit schemes (having ended for Defined Contribution Schemes some four years earlier).