HRP Q+A: Your Complete Guide to Missing Home Responsibilities Protection and State Pension Underpayments
Use this Q+A to identify whether you’re missing HRP, what to check on your National Insurance (NI) record and State Pension forecast, how to claim or transfer HRP, what evidence to send, and how to escalate if your case stalls.
1) Who’s affected, in plain English
1. HRP protected State Pension entitlement for parents and carers from 6 April 1978 to 5 April 2010; NI credits replaced HRP afterwards.
2. Main at-risk group: those who claimed Child Benefit before May 2000 where NI numbers weren’t linked correctly.
3. If your first Child Benefit claim was after May 2000, you’re outside that pre-2000 cohort, but still check your NI record.
2) Quick checks you can do today
1. View your NI record and State Pension forecast (BR19 by post if needed). Save PDFs with today’s date.
2. Look for ‘not qualifying’ years that overlap CB or caring (to 5 April 2002 for carer-route HRP).
3. Keep ‘before’ copies; after HRP is added, save ‘after’ copies to verify the change.
3) How to claim or transfer HRP
1. Use the GOV.UK route to claim missing HRP or transfer HRP between partners (where CB was in the other partner’s name).
2. Online and postal options are available; prepare annex + exhibits before starting.
3. Have NI number, CB details, and your evidence pack to hand.
4) Evidence that actually moves decisions
1. A-series (Child Benefit): A1 award/renewal letters; A2 bank references to CB; A3 HMRC CB letters.
2. B-series (Care context): B1 GP/consultant notes; B2 care plans/assessments; B3 school/attendance.
3. C-series (Identity & address bridges): C1 photo ID; C2 name change (marriage/deed poll); C3 council tax/tenancy/mortgage; C4 utility/bank.
4. Match each exhibit to the correct tax year (6 April–5 April) via a one-page annex.
Annex template (one line per tax year)
| Tax Year | Basis (CB/Carer) | CB Claimant | Main Carer? | Evidence Codes | Short Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994–95 | Child Benefit | You | Yes | A1, C3 | CB award; council tax at family address |
| 1995–96 | Child Benefit | You | Yes | A2, C3, C4 | Bank ref to CB; address bridge during move |
| 1996–97 | Carer | — | Yes | B1, C3 | GP letter confirms caring role; council-tax bridge |
5) Timelines, decisions, arrears
1. Expect an acknowledgement and then a decision. If HRP is added, your NI record updates and your State Pension may be recalculated.
2. Where underpaid, arrears can be issued. Keep a dated contact log and your before/after PDFs.
6) If things stall or you disagree with a decision
1. Mandatory Reconsideration (MR): one-page summary + updated annex + exhibits.
2. Complaint (process/delay): chronology; ask for owner and target dates; state remedy sought.
3. Independent Case Examiner (ICE): escalate unresolved complaints.
4. Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) via your MP.
7) Special cases (carers, estates, Northern Ireland)
1. Carer-route HRP to 5 April 2002: show 35h/week care and qualifying benefit on the cared-for person.
2. Estates/executors: authority + death certificate; mark ‘Estate of…’ in correspondence.
3. Northern Ireland: similar checks and principles; consult NI-direct where relevant.
8) File-naming and scanning standards
1. One exhibit per PDF; no cropped names/dates; correct rotation.
2. Code-first filenames (e.g., C2_MarriageCert_1993.pdf; A2_Bank_CB_1994-95.pdf).
3. Keep originals safe; submit clean scans.
9) People-also-ask: quick answers
What is HRP and when did it apply?
HRP protected State Pension entitlement for parents/carers from 6 Apr 1978 to 5 Apr 2010; NI credits replaced HRP after that.
Who is most at risk of missing HRP?
People who claimed Child Benefit before May 2000 whose NI record wasn’t linked, and carers up to 5 Apr 2002 where evidence wasn’t recorded.
How do I check if I’m missing HRP?
Review your NI record and State Pension forecast, then map any gap years that overlap CB/caring in an annex.
Can I transfer HRP between partners?
Yes—apply to transfer when Child Benefit was in the other partner’s name.
What if my claim is delayed or refused?
Use MR → Complaint → ICE → PHSO and keep a dated log.