Claer's International Women's Day Pension Tips

In honour of International Women’s Day, our Saver Squad expert Claer Barrett spoke to Lorraine about lots of ways us females can get more in tune with our pension.

As promised, here is a helpful reminder of links to all of the free websites and services mentioned to help you get on top of your financial to-do list.

Check your state pensionClaer reminded everyone aged 45 and over to check their state pension forecast which you can do quickly and easily on this government website: https://www.gov.uk/check-state-pension

To get the full amount of the state pension when you retire, you need to have 35 qualifying years of National Insurance contributions. However, if you have gaps in your record, it’s possible to challenge these or pay to top them up.

Find a gap between 2006 and 2016? You now have until July 2023 to top up as April’s deadline has been extended. For more details, read this article by ITV's Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis: https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2023/03/state-pension-boost-deadline-extended-july/

Trying to track down a lost pension?Here’s a guide to all of the free ways you can track down old company and private pensions that you may have lost track of over the years, including useful template letters and more: https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/pensions-and-retirement/pension-problems/tracing-and-finding-lost-pensions

Want to book a free Pension Wise appointment? PensionWise is the government’s free and impartial guidance service about pensions and retirement options, and anyone aged over 50 can make an appointment. Read more about it here: https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/pensions-and-retirement/pension-wise

A final note from Claer: “Many people feel anxious and uncomfortable dealing with money matters, which is completely normal. I’m a financial expert, and even I get the jitters sometimes! But in my heart of hearts, I know that plucking up the courage to find out the answers to money questions I have is going to make me feel better and more in control. On International Women’s Day, I’d urge you all to take that first step using the links and free services above to find out how your money could be working harder for you.”