DWP warning to check pension pot after man's employer used wrong National Insurance number

People are being urged to check their pension pots after a man's employer used the wrong National Insurance number.

Jobcentre staff had encouraged the man to check his pension online and when he checked discovered the missing contributions. The issue was investigated by the HMRC and it was discovered a previous employer had been entering his National Insurance number with one incorrect digit, with his credits applied to the wrong account.

Once investigated, the issue was rectified and the man's record now show he will receive a full state pension at retirement age.

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A Department for Work and Pensions spokeswoman said: "During a recent 50Plus Choices interview a customer who had been in work for over 35 years just found out he had missing contributions that has now been rectified. The work coach persuaded him to check his pension on gov.uk, just in case, and gave him the instruction how to do this.

"The claimant returned for his next appointment and advised that he had done as the work coach had asked and when he checked there were a number of years contributions missing.

"The claimant was obviously worried about this as he could not understand how this could have happened, but when this was investigated, a previous employer had been reporting his NINO with one incorrect digit, so his credits had been applied to the wrong NINO account.

"This was rectified by HMRC and once investigated, and everything was applied as it should have been, the claimants record showed that he was due a full state pension when he was to reach the state pension age."