The UK's HM Revenue and Customs will send letters to over 1 million low-earning individuals, mostly women, informing them of their eligibility for top-up pension payments. These payments are intended to make up for missed tax relief on pensions administered through Net Pay Arrangement schemes, with typical recipients expected to receive £70. HMRC will not contact individuals by phone or message about the payment, and anyone receiving such contact is advised to be cautious as it may be a scam. According to Sir Steve Webb, partner at LCP, the government's estimate of only 1 million recipients is surprisingly low, with the cost of the project expected to be lower than if everyone who was eligible had claimed.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-07,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
About 1 million people, mostly women, will receive letters from HMRC explaining they're eligible for top-up pension payments. The letters are not scams and are automatically being sent to those who qualify. Typically, these individuals will be due £70, but the amount may vary depending on their circumstances. This is because some low earners have been missing out on tax relief, which is money that would otherwise have gone towards taxes instead of their pensions. The issue lies with certain pension schemes, specifically Net Pay Arrangement and Relief at Source, which affect who receives this relief. Low earners in a Net Pay Arrangement scheme received less than those in a Relief at Source scheme, due to factors outside of employees' control.
Written for “Energy Price Refund Notices” on 2026-09-07,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
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- Published
You may be among the one million people, mostly women, who will receive letters explaining how you are eligible for top-up pension payments - and it's not a scam.
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it → publish → payments
Those entitled are low earners who have missed out on the money because of the way their pension is administered.
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pension → entitle → way
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) will write to people over the next few months, explaining how to receive the payment.
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Revenue → write → payment
Typically they will be due £70, but that may vary considerably depending on their circumstances.
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that → vary → circumstances
Anyone eligible will be contacted automatically but, if you receive a letter, there are various checks you can do to ensure the letter is genuine so you don't get hoodwinked.
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you → contact → letter
When you pay into a pension, the government allows some of the money that would otherwise have been paid in tax to go towards your pension instead.
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that → pay → pension
This is known as tax relief, external.
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This → know → relief
For relatively complicated reasons, some low earners whose employer used what's known as a Net Pay Arrangement pension scheme received less than those whose pension was administered through a Relief at Source scheme.
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pension → use → scheme
Employees have no control over the type of scheme that's used, so the government has decided to top up those who have missed out, through what's called a low earner's pension payment.
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what → have → those
Typically, they would have earned close to, but not more than, £12,570 a year (the starting point for paying income tax).
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they → earn → tax
Top-up payments will initially be paid for the 2024-25 tax year, with automated payments subsequently kicking in for later years.
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payments → top → years
How can I check the letter is for real?
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letter → check → ?
Customers don't need to apply.
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Customers → need → ?
If eligible, you'll be sent information by HMRC - the UK's tax authority - in a letter or through your online personal tax account, external.
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you → send → account
HMRC will not text, email or call you about it.
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HMRC → text → it
If you receive such a call or message, it is a scam.
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it → receive → call
Also, it will never ask you to transfer money, or ask for PIN codes or passwords.
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it → ask → codes
Other ways to check contact is smooth and genuine include:
Making sure HMRC has your latest address
Searching Gov.uk for "check if a letter you've received from HMRC is genuine", and look for "Low Earner's Pension Payment"
HMRC also has advice on spotting a scam, external
Customers will be asked to provide their bank details through their personal tax account. Customers who are digitally excluded will be able to phone HMRC to accept their payment instead
"
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who → check → payment
We know some people may be cautious about unexpected contact, which is why we provide clear information about what to expect and how to verify the contact is genuine," said a HMRC spokesman.
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spokesman → know → what
"Customers can check a letter is genuine on Gov.uk and should only respond via official HMRC channels.
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letter → check → channels
"
Is everyone expected to get paid?
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everyone → expect → ?
Sir Steve Webb, partner at pensions consultancy LCP and a former pensions minister, said he was shocked at how few people the government expected to actually receive the payment.
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government → say → payment
The government has estimated the cost of the project to be much lower than if everyone who was eligible took up the payment.
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who → estimate → payment
"The process of getting these payments to the right people is going to be incredibly painful and there is a real risk of huge non take-up," he said.
"
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he → get → up
It is vital that communications are effective to make sure that people get the money to which they are entitled."
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they → make → which
HMRC says it will run an awareness campaign using social media and other channels.
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it → say → media
