Analysts are sounding the alarm that state pensioners cannot afford to "miss an important deadline" as thousands living on under £100 a week.
New research conducted by Royal London has found that only half of potential claimants are receiving the full, new state pension amount.
Currently, the full state pension for this year is £221.20 a week, a slight jump from £203.85 back in 2023.
In order for someone to be entitled to this sum, they must have made 35 years worth of National Insurance contributions.
Anyone who has acquired less "qualifying" years will still be entitled to the state pension, albeit a smaller amount.
Based on Royal London's analysis,149,317 pensioners who had turned 66 from April 2016 were getting a state pension of less than £100 a week.
Do you have a money story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing money@gbnews.uk.
Older Britons are being called to check their National Insurance contributions
GETTYFurthermore, 17,546 pensioners are estimated to be receiving less than £20 a week in the retirement benefit.
Experts are urging older Britons to check their previous National Insurance contributions in order to see their full state pension entitlement.
Someone is able to look into own record by checking the gov.uk website where they will be able to see if they need to make voluntary contributions.
This is an option on the table for individuals who are falling short of the full state pension due to having left the workforce for periods of time.
Sarah Pennells, a consumer finance specialist at Royal London, explained: "You may be entitled to free National Insurance credits if you’re caring for a child under the age of 12 by registering for child benefit, or if you’re caring for someone else who’s getting certain benefits.
"In that case, you may be able to top up your national insurance record for free.
"But for those who can’t, it’s important not to miss this deadline of April 5, 2025.
"That’s the date by which you must have paid voluntary National Insurance contributions to make up for gaps between tax years April 2006 and April 2018. After that, you’ll only be able to go back six years and fill in any gaps.”
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
Pensioners have struggled to navigate the cost of living crisis
GETTYHelen Morrissey, the head of retirement analysis at Hargreaves Lansdown, added: “The state pension forms the backbone of people’s retirement income so it is vital that you make sure you are receiving the right amount.
“Getting a state pension forecast will enable you to see where there are gaps in your national insurance record so you can make a plan on how to fill them.”
A DWP spokesperson said: “Ensuring a better deal for the pensioners of today and tomorrow is a priority for this Government.
“There are a variety of reasons why some pensioners have a lower state pension – including contracting-out and paying less national insurance contributions – which is why we encourage those on the lowest incomes to claim for pension credit, worth on average £3,900 per year.
“Through our commitment to protect the triple lock over 12 million pensioners will benefit, with many expected to see their state pension increase by around a thousand pounds over the next five years.”