Steve Webb pensions expert (Image: Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)
Retired women underpaid on their pensions face missing out on thousands of pounds they are owed by the taxman.
A government campaign designed to track down the 180,000 pensioners who lost out on ￡1 billion after taking time off work to raise children only directs them to make a claim online.
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But research shows one in three people aged 75 never use the internet, leaving them unable to apply for the cash.
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Former pensions minister Sir Steve Webb, a partner at LCP, said the campaign will fail unless women affected are told they can also fill out a paper form or make contact by phone.
He said: “Whilst I understand the desire of government departments to cut costs, it is completely inappropriate to write letters to hundreds of thousands of pensioners which suggest that the only way to apply is online.
“At the very least, the letter should make it clear that other ways of claiming are available for those who are not online.
“I am concerned in particular for older pensioners who may not have friends or family to help them.
“Those who have been underpaid have typically missed out on thousands of pounds, and they deserve to have this put right.
“Unless HMRC addresses this issue it is highly likely that tens of thousands of older pensioners may continue to miss out on money which is rightfully theirs.”
The errors on state pensions were caused by a failure to record time at home with children on National Insurance records.
Most are mothers who are now over state pension age and should have had Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP) recorded to boost their pension pot.
It particularly affects those in receipt of Child Benefit before the year 2000.
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Records released by the Department for Work and Pensions admitted that an estimated 187,000 pensioners have been underpaid. About 43,000 have died.
HMRC has issued a quarter of a million letters to people over pension age with no HRP on their record in an attempt to track down those affected.
But the letter warns them not to apply until they have used an internet eligibility check first and then directs them to filling out the application online.
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A copy of the letter given to Sir Steve under the Freedom of Information Act did not include a telephone number for people to call with queries, but HMRC insists that one is included on the documents they have sent out.
An HMRC spokesman said: "Contrary to what’s been claimed, the letters do include a helpline number to request a paper application form - although for most people it will be much quicker and easier to use our online service."