EXCLUSIVEWe wasted thousands on 明言する／公表する 年金 最高の，を越す-ups after WRONG advice - savers tell how their cash 消えるd

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Kathryn Tattum:?All they told me when I rang up is there is a backlog. The system is so 圧倒するd no one is taking 責任／義務

Savers who fell foul of the 明言する／公表する 年金 最高の，を越す-ups system have （刑事）被告 the 政府 of encouraging them to make unnecessary 支払い（額）s, then failing to help find and refund their cash.

Untold sums of 最高の，を越す-ups cash could be sitting in 政府 coffers, instead of 存在 repaid to people who are still in the dark about what has happened to their money.

Kathryn Tattum, pictured 権利, is の中で those who followed 公式の／役人 advice to check with 政府 staff first, before she 手渡すd over around £3,300 in May last year in the belief it would 上げる her 明言する／公表する 年金.

The retired 地元の 政府 officer only discovered she had been misinformed after 控訴，上告ing to This is Money to help find her 行方不明の money nearly a year later.

'I did make sure. I checked with them first,' she told us. 'I spoke to two or three people at the Department for Work and 年金s and at no time did they say don't send money.

'All they told me when I rang up is there is a backlog. The system is so 圧倒するd no one is taking 責任／義務.'

Sylvia Popplestone paid £5,700 last October after a four-month wait for a letter from the DWP that 確認するd this 量 would 増加する her 明言する／公表する 年金.

After This is Money 介入するd and covered the 事例／患者 of her 行方不明の 明言する／公表する 年金 最高の，を越す-ups in January, she was subsequently told she had overpaid by £4,600 - but the backlog for refunds was nine weeks.

Why are people complaining about 明言する／公表する 年金 最高の，を越す-up 大混乱?

失望させるd savers have complained of 明言する／公表する 年金 最高の，を越す-ups 大混乱 for the past year, and today we cover FOUR 事例／患者s in total of lost cash and staff giving wrong （警察などへの）密告，告訴（状） or unable to help.

The 政府 has 約束d a new online service that will 許す people to check if buying 最高の，を越す-ups will 上げる their 明言する／公表する 年金 and to make 支払い（額）s.?

にもかかわらず its 保証／確信s this should be ready by 早期に April, it has been 延期するd and there is no start date yet.

Buying 最高の，を越す-ups can give a generous 上げる to 退職 income if you buy the 訂正する years on your 記録，記録的な／記録する.

The system was 圧倒するd 早期に last year when a 急ぐ of 買い手s jammed phonelines ahead of a crunch 最終期限 to buy 最高の，を越す-ups going 支援する to 2006, rather than the usual six years

That 最終的に 軍隊d the 政府 to 延長する it twice, now to April 2025.

The 計画／陰謀, run 共同で by HMRC and the DWP, is 混乱させるing and it is 平易な to make innocent errors, or （犯罪の）一味 up the wrong department because you don't know which one 扱うs each 行う／開催する／段階 of the 購入（する）, or at what point it might have gone awry.

The 過程 現在／一般に 伴う／関わるs 接触するing the DWP, which checks and tells you which years are 価値（がある） topping up; 得るing a 言及／関連 number from HMRC before making a 購入（する）; HMRC taking the 支払い（額） for extra 出資／貢献s and then updating 国家の 保険 記録，記録的な／記録するs; then the DWP recalculating 明言する／公表する 年金 予測（する）s or 支払い（額）s.

Buying 最高の，を越す-ups is 推定する／予想するd to be simpler and easier once the new online service begins, but it is 不明瞭な if the その後の updating of NI 記録，記録的な／記録するs and 明言する／公表する 年金 支払い（額）s will also be 簡素化するd.

There is also a pile of 'unallocated' cash to be dealt with, where 支払い（額）s have not been 過程d for unknown 推論する／理由s, or refunds are 借りがあるd.

Former 年金s 大臣 and This is Money 退職 columnist Steve Webb says: '明言する／公表する 年金 最高の，を越す-ups are a 複雑にするd 商売／仕事 and it can easily happen that voluntary 出資／貢献s turn out to 追加する nothing to your 年金.

'But no-one in Whitehall seems to think it is their 職業 to make sure you get your money 支援する. HMRC will say they have 正確に updated your NI 記録，記録的な／記録する. And DWP will say that they have 正確に checked for any 改善するd 明言する／公表する 年金.

'But the poor taxpayer is left in the dark unless they chase things up. We need a system where, if DWP decide no 明言する／公表する 年金 増加する is 予定, they make sure the voluntary 出資／貢献s are refunded. They cannot just sit on the money.'

Webb, who is now a partner at LCP, 追加するs: 'In other 事例／患者s, 出資／貢献s have been made but sit in some sort of suspense account, not even getting as far as 存在 追加するd to the 訂正する NI 記録，記録的な／記録する.

'Once again, it doesn’t seem to be anyone’s 職業 to go through these unallocated 出資／貢献s and either do something with them or 支払う／賃金 them 支援する.

'We 緊急に need to put the contributor at the heart of this 過程 so that either they get an 高めるd 年金 or their money 支援する, instead of 存在 left in limbo.'

自由主義の 民主党員 Work and 年金s spokesperson, Wendy Chamberlain, says: 'It is 完全に 容認できない that DWP staff are giving out the wrong advice and 原因（となる）ing people to 支払う／賃金 thousands of 続けざまに猛撃するs and then go through the 付加 強調する／ストレス of requesting refunds.

'It beggars belief that the 政府 tells people to call for 指導／手引 which it turns out is 完全に unreliable.'

'This really 追加するs 侮辱 to 傷害 for people who have already go ne through long waiting periods, and often seen their money disappear into a system without trace.

'We 緊急に need the introduction of 領収書s so that people have a （疑いを）晴らす paper 追跡する of where their money is; and a 完全にする review of the 未来 年金 Centre and the advice it is 供給するing. 約束ing an online system in 予定 course is no 慰安 if the DWP can’t be 信用d to 機能（する）／行事 at even a basic level.'

Former 年金s 大臣 Ros Altmann, a longtime 年金s 選挙運動者 who now sits in the House of Lords, says of the 事例／患者s we 最高潮の場面 today: 'I feel very sorry for all those people who have paid money in good 約束, have been given incorrect （警察などへの）密告，告訴（状）, have to spend hours trying to retrieve the money they paid unnecessarily and have to wait so long for their 訂正する 明言する／公表する 年金 支払い（額）s to arrive or 記録，記録的な／記録するs to be updated.'

She 追加するs: 'This is yet another worrying example of how the ludicrous 複雑さ of our 明言する／公表する 年金 system ? both under the old 支配するs and under the new 支配するs ? is costing many members of the public 重要な time to try to sort out their entitlements, enormous extra cost to the DWP and HMRC in 行政 and 重要な 苦悩 when those who call up are given the wrong （警察などへの）密告，告訴（状） and cannot sort this out without the 介入 of This is Money.

'How the system was ever 許すd to become so 複雑にするd is an important question, and one that 政治家，政治屋s need to learn from for the 未来.'

A 政府 spokesperson says: 'A new online service to 許す most people to see if making voluntary 出資／貢献s would 増加する their 明言する／公表する 年金, and make 支払い（額）s, will be 開始する，打ち上げるd soon.?

'More （警察などへの）密告，告訴（状） will be 解放（する）d in 予定 course.

'Over the last year, hundreds of thousands of people have 接触するd us about voluntary 出資／貢献s, with the 広大な 大多数 of 支払い（額）s resulting in 記録，記録的な／記録するs 存在 updated within days.

'コンビナート／複合体 事例／患者s 要求するing specialist caseworkers can take longer to 解決する - but we’re making good 進歩 on 減ずるing wait times.'?

Read more on what the 政府 says about buying 最高の，を越す-ups and getting refunds below.

'All they told me when I rang up is there is a backlog'

Kathryn Tattum 接触するd the DWP and HMRC several times last year, before and after she made a £3,300 最高の，を越す-up 支払い（額） in May, but wasn't 警告するd it would not 増加する her 明言する／公表する 年金.

The 68-year-old from Greater Manchester kept a 記録，記録的な／記録する of first 指名するs of staff she spoke to and dates of three occasions when she phoned either DWP or HMRC.

'They said go ahead and we will send you a link and a 言及／関連 number. At no point did anyone say you got the wrong advice,' she told us.

That 含むs in August, when she started trying to trace where her money had gone. Mrs Tattum says no staff member told her they would look into it, so 適切な時期s to find out what had happened and get her a refund earlier were 行方不明になるd.

After she turned to This is Money, the 政府 told us HMRC had updated her NI 記録，記録的な／記録する in May and DWP was automatically 知らせるd.

However, the 決定的な （警察などへの）密告，告訴（状） that these 出資／貢献s would not 改善する Mrs Tattum's 明言する／公表する 年金 and she needed to 適用する for a refund was never given to her until we flagged her 事例／患者 last month, and helped her get the money 支援する.

She told us: 'I still can't understand how I was 最初 told that I could 購入（する） extra NI years, then how it took you to get 伴う／関わるd for someone to look into it, only to discover it wasn't going to 改善する my 明言する／公表する 年金. The money could have been 収入 利益／興味 どこかよそで.'

Paul and Sylvia Popplestone: She paid £5,700 on the basis of a letter from DWP, but belatedly discovered she was 借りがあるd a?£4,600 refund

'規模 of the ineptitude and inefficiency at the DWP and HMRC is just mind-boggling'

Sylvia Popplestone and her husband Paul, pictured above, tried from June to October in 2023 to get （警察などへの）密告，告訴（状） from the DWP about which years to buy to 上げる her 明言する／公表する 年金.

The 66-year-old retired campsite 労働者 only made a 購入（する） after receiving a letter from the DWP, which said she should 支払う／賃金 £5,700.

We covered the experiences of the couple, who live in フラン, in a story in January when Mr Popplestone said the 明言する／公表する 年金 最高の，を越す-ups system was in 'total 大混乱' and '明確に broken'.

After its 出版（物）, Mrs Popplestone received a letter from HMRC 説 she was 適格の for a refund of around £4,600 because the DWP had now advised she should have paid Class 2 出資／貢献s, which are for self-雇うd people.

She 適用するd to get her money 支援する at the start of March, and when her husband tried to chase it up on the phone he was told refunds are 現在／一般に taking nine weeks to 過程.

However, she has now received the refund after This is Money took up her 事例／患者 again with HMRC and the DWP.

Mr and Mrs Popplestone feel she is 借りがあるd some 是正する for the long 延期するs, misinformation given to her, and the unnecessary 支払い（額） which could have been 収入 4.25 per cent 利益／興味 in their 貯金 account.

He told us: 'We now feel that it is just not 権利 that people are losing out in such a way for errors and inefficient 扱うing committed by the DWP and HMRC.

'And 平等に, that by "just letting it ride", we are somehow complicit in letting them get away with people losing out and not 供給するing the DWP/HMRC with any incentive to sort things out for others.

'I have to say that this really goes against the 穀物 for us as we are not at all people who 捜し出す 補償（金） in general as we understand that 本物の errors occur.

'But the 規模 of the ineptitude and inefficiency at the DWP and HMRC is just mind-boggling and the disingenuous replies they 供給する only serve to create the impression that they would prefer to （人命などを）奪う，主張する that there is no problem, which just 論証するs a total 欠如（する） of 誠実 with 尊敬（する）・点 to them genuinely trying to 直す／買収する，八百長をする the problems.'?

'HMRC had my money for just over six months'

Simon Richardson, 71, paid £1,650 for 明言する／公表する 年金 最高の，を越す-ups in October 2023, but only after calling HMRC to check if he could fill gaps in his 国家の 保険 記録，記録的な／記録する.

He was told by a staff member he could buy two years of 出資／貢献s to qualify for a 十分な 明言する／公表する 年金.

However, when This is Money flagged his 事例／患者, it turned out that his NI 記録，記録的な／記録する was updated after the 支払い（額）, and the DWP had been automatically 知らせるd - but neither department ale rted him this would not 改善する his 明言する／公表する 年金.

Mr Richardson, a retired civil servant who lives in Cornwall, says: 'The 初期の HMRC 助言者 had sight of my NI 記録，記録的な／記録する and could have 知らせるd me at that point that I had paid the 最大限 number of NI years 出資／貢献s and therefore there was no 利益 in me 購入（する）ing 付加 years.'

He 追加するs: 'HMRC had my money for just over six months. I hope they 投資するd it wisely. Perhaps any money earned would help 基金 an 昇格d help desk?

'I think that, without your help, I would have still been waiting for HMRC to update DWP and then DWP to tell me the 付加 NI years 購入（する）d had made no difference to my 年金, and then HMRC to 令状 to me...and so on!'

Mr Richardson has now received a refund.

'I got no 領収書 for my 最高の，を越す-up money'

Diana Robinson (指名する changed) paid around £1,400 for 明言する／公表する 年金 最高の，を越す-ups in February 2023, but then her money appeared to 消える.

The 62-year-old retired clerical 労働者 from Liverpool asked us for help, 説: 'I got no 領収書 for this money nor has it been 地位，任命するd to my account yet. I know they are in a bit of a mess and I know my 事例／患者 isn't 緊急の but I would like to have a 領収書.'

This is Money says 明言する／公表する 年金 最高の，を越す-ups are in 悲惨な need of an 精密検査する by DWP and HMRC?

This is Money has made calls to 活動／戦闘 to 直す／買収する，八百長をする 大混乱 in 最高の，を越す-ups system.

1) Create one 明言する／公表する 年金 最高の，を越す-ups department, under one boss, that 取引，協定s with the entire 最高の，を越す-ups 過程 from start to finish, whether online or offline.

2) Find out where the 現在の worst 延期するs are happening, which would be easier if there weren't two departments that can 非難する each other, and then sort out the bottlenecks.

3) 改造する the call centre 操作／手術 so people who （犯罪の）一味 up about 最高の，を越す-ups receive help with their problem, by introducing an 効果的な filtering system so all queries are dealt with, while the most serious 問題／発行するs are sent up the line.

4) Do a sweep for the oldest （民事の）告訴s?about 最高の，を越す-ups, however intractable they might look, and get a trouble-狙撃 team の上に them.

> THIS IS MONEY COMMENT: Older people need a competent department to 扱う 明言する／公表する 年金 問題／発行するs

When Mrs Robinson 最初 rang up about buying 最高の，を越す-ups last year, she was told there was a six week backlog.

After we raised her 事例／患者, HMRC 設立する her 支払い（額） and DWP updated her 明言する／公表する 年金 予測（する）.

She told us: 'Many thanks, it would not have happened without your help.'

What does the 政府 say?

The DWP and MRC 供給するd the に引き続いて （警察などへの）密告，告訴（状） on the 明言する／公表する 年金 最高の，を越す-ups system.

- Voluntary 出資／貢献s do not always 増加する your 明言する／公表する 年金 and you should make sure you would 利益 before making any 支払い（額）s.

- The 政府 has 延長するd the 最終期限 to 5 April 2025 to give people more time to fill gaps in their 国家の 保険 記録，記録的な／記録する going 支援する to 2006, rather than the usual six-year backdating period.

- The 大多数 of people, 含むing those living abroad who want to 支払う／賃金 voluntary 出資／貢献s for years they were 居住（者） in the UK, should be able to use a new online 数字表示式の service which HMRC and DWP are 目的（とする）ing to introduce once 開発 and 実験（する）ing is 完全にする.?

指導／手引 will be given on GOV.UK on who can use the new 数字表示式の service and how.

- The service will be 開始する，打ち上げるd as soon as possible after the usual update to the 国家の 保険 system at the start of the new 税金 year, so 顧客s can continuously 接近 the service without interruption.?

The 政府 has told us the NI update was meant to take place by 9 April, with the online service 開始する，打ち上げるing soon after this.

- This will 許す the service to take into account the April 明言する／公表する 年金 増加する for 2024/25, to 確実にする 使用者s see the most up-to-date （警察などへの）密告，告訴（状） on how much extra 明言する／公表する 年金 they could receive by 支払う／賃金ing to fill gaps in their NI 記録，記録的な／記録する.

- At the end of January, a 数字表示式の 使用／適用 過程 for 最高の，を越す-ups covering periods spent living or working abroad was 開始する，打ち上げるd, meaning people no longer have to 地位，任命する a CF83 form.

- The 政府 is continually working to help more people get 接近 to its online services while keeping their （警察などへの）密告，告訴（状） 安全な・保証する. International 顧客s can 立証する their 身元 using GOV.UK ID Check app to 接近 this and other services.

- The DWP 目的（とする）s to update 明言する／公表する 年金 記録，記録的な／記録するs as soon as possible once 通知するd HMRC has 配分するd a 支払い（額） to someone’s 国家の 保険 記録，記録的な／記録する.

- 支払い（額）s 要求するing 手動式の 過程ing, for example those made by cheque, and more コンビナート／複合体 事例／患者s 要求するing その上の checks 含むing 郵便の 使用／適用s from abroad, can take longer to 解決する depending on individual circumstances.

- HMRC has extra staff answering phone calls and 取引，協定ing with correspondence on voluntary 出資／貢献s, 含むing requests for refunds, and all 接触する is dealt with on a 事例／患者-by-事例／患者 basis. When someone （犯罪の）一味s or 令状s to HMRC, it 目的（とする）s to 解決する their query at first 接触する, but if その上の 調査 is 要求するd this is follow on activity and the 顧客 is made aware of this.

- 使用／適用s for refunds are 過程d on a 事例／患者 by 事例／患者 basis, depending on individual circumstances, and HMRC 目的（とする）s to 答える／応じる to such requests as soon as possible.

- If you’re below 明言する／公表する 年金 age, 接触する the 未来 年金 Centre to find out if you’ll 利益 from voluntary 出資／貢献s. If you’ve reached 明言する／公表する 年金 age, 接触する the 年金 Service.