Evanshaw HRP Claims – Customer FAQ

Plain-English answers for customers considering an HRP (Home Responsibilities Protection) claim with Evanshaw Ltd.

1) What is Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP)?

HRP was a government scheme (6 April 1978 to 5 April 2010) that protected State Pension entitlement for parents and carers by reducing the number of National Insurance (NI) qualifying years needed. In 2010, HRP was replaced by NI credits.

2) Who might be eligible?

You may be eligible if, between 1978 and 2010, you:

• Claimed (or should have claimed) Child Benefit for a child under 16, but the claim was recorded in your partner’s name; or
• Spent significant time caring for someone with a long-term illness or disability (especially between 1978 and 2002).

Evanshaw checks your NI record and the relevant years to confirm.

3) I claimed Child Benefit but it was in my partner’s name. Can HRP be transferred to me?

Yes. If your partner’s name was on the Child Benefit claim for the relevant years, HRP may be transferred to your record. Evanshaw assesses and handles transfers as part of your claim.

4) Do I still need to apply now that HRP ended in 2010?

Possibly. HRP ended in 2010, but HRP years before that may still be missing. If your record has gaps, you can apply (or transfer from a partner). Evanshaw reviews your record and advises.

5) How do I start a claim with Evanshaw?

You can start your HRP claim with Evanshaw online in just a few minutes.

1. Complete our online form – Tell us a few basic details about you, your National Insurance history and your Child Benefit / caring history so we can check whether you may have missing HRP credits.

2. Eligibility check – Our system and case team review your information and confirm whether you appear to have a potential HRP-related claim.

3. Digital signatures & authority – If you wish to proceed, you will be asked to digitally sign our Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA), HMRC form 64-8, our HMRC and DWP Letters of Authority, and consent for us to request your National Insurance Statement of Account. These allow us to liaise with HMRC and DWP on your behalf.

4. ID and evidence – We may ask you to upload proof of identity and any supporting documents (for example, old Child Benefit letters or pension statements) so we can fully assess your position.

If you prefer not to sign electronically, we can provide a paper pack on request, but most clients complete everything online.

6) What documents will I need?

• Photo ID (passport or UK driving licence)
• Proof of address (recent utility bill or bank statement)
• Any Child Benefit or carer evidence (helpful but not essential)

If you don’t have documents, Evanshaw helps source alternatives.

7) How long does an HRP claim take?

Timescales vary from case to case and depend heavily on how quickly HMRC and the DWP process your claim. As a general guide:

• Many straightforward HRP-related cases currently complete in around 6–9 months from the point we have all the information and evidence we need.
• More complex cases — for example, where there are long gaps, name changes, disputes, or appeals — can take 9–12 months or longer.

The process usually involves three main stages:

1) Gathering information – We obtain your National Insurance record and any relevant documents so we can identify missing HRP credits.

2) HRP/National Insurance correction – HMRC review the information, decide whether HRP credits should be added, and update your NI record if appropriate.

3) DWP recalculation – Where relevant, the DWP then recalculate your State Pension and/or Pension Credit and decide whether any arrears are due.

We will keep you updated throughout the process. However, we cannot guarantee a specific outcome or timescale, as the decision-making and processing speed sit solely with HMRC and the DWP.

8) What happens after I sign up?

• Eligibility & evidence check
• Submission to HMRC for HRP and/or transfer
• NI record updated by HMRC if approved
• DWP recalculates State Pension and processes any arrears

Evanshaw keeps you updated and chases HMRC/DWP as needed.

9) How much does Evanshaw charge?

Evanshaw operates on a No Win, No Fee basis for HRP-related claims.

• Our success fee is 30% of any arrears/back-payments actually received, plus VAT at 20% on that fee.
• This results in an effective total of 36% (30% fee + 6% VAT) of the arrears/back-payments actually received, after any HMRC/DWP set-offs.

• We only charge on back-dated arrears (e.g., State Pension or Pension Credit arrears arising from HRP correction).
• We do not charge any fee on ongoing weekly/monthly State Pension increases or ongoing Pension Credit payments.

There are no upfront fees and no admin charges.
If no arrears/back-payment is issued by HMRC or DWP, you pay £0.

Full details are provided in our Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA) and on our Fees page.

10) How are fees paid?

How our fee is paid depends on whether HMRC or the DWP issues any arrears.

HMRC payments
In some cases, and where HMRC allows, certain tax repayments or arrears may be issued to Evanshaw Ltd as your bare nominee, or they may be paid directly to you.

• If HMRC pays arrears to Evanshaw as your nominee, we will:
  • notify you of the amount received;
  • provide a clear breakdown showing the 30% fee and 20% VAT (total 36%); and
  • deduct the agreed success fee and remit your balance without undue delay and in any event within 7 working days of funds clearing.
• If HMRC pays arrears directly to you, you agree to pay our success fee (30% + VAT = 36%) within 7 days of receipt. We will send you an invoice and breakdown so you can see exactly how the fee has been calculated.

DWP payments
Any arrears/back-payments issued by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) (for example, State Pension back-payments or Pension Credit arrears) are always paid directly to you. DWP will not pay Evanshaw.

Where DWP pays you directly:

• our success fee of 30% + VAT (total 36%) still applies to the arrears amount; and
• we will invoice you with a clear breakdown of the 30% fee and the VAT element.

If you have difficulty paying, please contact us. We will work with you to agree a reasonable way forward before considering any further action. Further details are set out in our Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA).

11) Can I apply to HMRC directly instead of using Evanshaw?

Yes. You can apply directly online or by post. Many customers choose Evanshaw to manage eligibility checks, paperwork, evidence gathering, submissions, and appeals if needed.

12) Will claiming affect my current State Pension payments?

An HRP claim corrects your NI record. If successful, it may increase weekly State Pension and/or produce arrears. DWP recalculates payments after HMRC updates your record.

13) How far back can backdated payments go?

DWP calculates backdated payments based on when entitlement arose. Outcomes vary by case and years corrected. Evanshaw explains results when DWP issues decisions.

14) What if my claim is unsuccessful?

You pay nothing. Evanshaw advises on next steps and whether an appeal makes sense. If new evidence arises later, the claim can be revisited.

15) I’m widowed or divorced—can I still benefit?

Potentially. If HRP is missing from your record (or transferable from a partner’s record), a correction may improve entitlement or produce arrears. Evanshaw reviews partner-related years and advises.

16) Do I need my original Child Benefit forms?

No. HMRC keeps historical records. Original paperwork helps but isn’t essential. Evanshaw assists in gathering information HMRC requires.

17) I already requested a pension forecast—can I still claim?

Yes. A pension forecast helps identify missing years. Evanshaw still reviews HRP eligibility and submits claims if appropriate.

18) What if I already get the full State Pension?

If you’re at the maximum weekly rate, a correction may not raise payments — but you could still be owed arrears for past years. Evanshaw confirms after HMRC/DWP assess your record.

19) Are you authorised to act for me?

Yes. When you sign up, you authorise Evanshaw Ltd to act on your behalf in relation to your HRP-related claim.

• For HMRC, you sign form 64-8 and our related authority documents, which allow us to act as your tax agent for the purposes of HRP/National Insurance corrections and related matters.
• For DWP, you sign our Letter of Authority, which allows us to correspond with DWP and discuss your State Pension/Pension Credit position in relation to potential HRP underpayments.

Evanshaw Ltd is registered with HMRC as an agent and is supervised for anti-money-laundering (AML) purposes.

We are, however, an independent firm. We are not part of HMRC or DWP, and we are not endorsed by them. We simply use the standard HMRC and DWP processes to act on your behalf.

20) How do I track progress?

Evanshaw provides regular updates by email/SMS. You can contact info@evanshaw.co.uk anytime. Typical claims: 6–9 months; appeals: longer depending on HMRC/DWP.