Warning over state pension

RETIREES who forget to claim their state pension risk missing out on millions of pounds.

Many people do not realise that they will not receive their state pension automatically.

Financial services firm Responsible Life submitted a Freedom of Information request and learned the DWP does not keep track of how many people fail to claim the state pension, or how much is owed. This followed a customer who had missed out for 11 years and was owed £132,800.

The DWP says it writes to everyone four months before they reach state pension age to tell them how to claim.