UK DWP: More than half a million state pension top-up callbacks logged before April deadline

More than half a million people submitted callback requests to the Department for Work and Pensions ahead of the 5 April 2025 deadline to top up their state pension, the department said in response to a Liberal Democrat inquiry. The DWP placed the total at about 528,000 requests overall.

The department said it had processed all 56,300 requests from people over state pension age living in Britain, and had cleared about 80% of the nearly 24,000 requests from people aged over 66 who live overseas; the remaining cases are expected to be completed by the end of the year.

Among those under state pension age, about 447,800 requests were logged, with roughly 119,500 still to be processed, a backlog that could stretch to March 2026.

The callback service was launched to handle a surge in inquiries from older people seeking to fill gaps in state pension records going back to 2006, rather than just the past six years. The six-year rule is back in place now, but those who lodged a callback before the deadline are still allowed to purchase the older years.

Pensions Minister Torsten Bell explained the two-step process the DWP followed when handling requests: "In total, DWP received c528,000 call-back requests from customers ahead of the voluntary National Insurance Contributions deadline of 5 April 2025."

The process often involves an initial call for basic information, followed by a second contact for in-depth discussions about purchasing top-ups. Some readers have reported delays or confusion about who is responsible for payments when National Insurance records or top-up funds go missing, underscoring the need for clear guidance on whether to contact the DWP or HMRC.

Former Pensions Minister Steve Webb, now a partner at pension consultants LCP, commented on the DWP response: "These figures confirm a massive level of interest in state pension top-ups, with more than half a million people needing a call back after the official deadline. It is welcome that DWP has prioritised those already over pension age, but where these people have bought top-ups it is important that these are processed quickly and efficiently and an enhanced rate of state pension put into payment as soon as possible."

Readers who are still waiting or who have experienced missing top-up payments are urged to contact their MP for assistance and may email pensionquestions@thisismoney.co.uk to share their experience. This publication will continue to monitor and report updates on the top-up process.