DWP

A new online service designed to simplify how you check and pay for voluntary national insurance (NI) contributions is now available. It should make the state pension boosting process quicker and easier for most people. But you WON'T be able to use this initial launch version of the tool if you're already getting your state pension or you're looking to fill gaps from when you were self-employed or working abroad.

Tens of thousands of young people with special educational needs and disabilities remain locked out of their savings held in Child Trust Funds – and the Government must do more to help them, a cross-party group of MPs have said. It comes as MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis once again raised the issue in an interview with Government minister Maria Caulfield MP on ITV's Good Morning Britain.

If you're a woman in your 60s or 70s who stayed at home to care for children before 2010, you may be missing out on £1,000s in state pension payments due to errors in your national insurance record. You don't need to do anything for the time being, though you will need to claim your missing state pension payments later this year.

MoneySavers with children whose partners have sadly passed away have reported to us that they've so far reclaimed at least £124,000 in backdated bereavement help – in just three months – after reading about it on MoneySavingExpert.com (MSE). One mum told us that her £22,000 payment has been "life changing". 

Some claiming Personal Independence Payments (PIP) say they have yet to receive their money for this month, leaving many struggling for cash ahead of Christmas. The disability payments were due to be paid on Monday (5 December).

Additional £150 cost-of-living payments for those with disabilities were due to start on 20 September, but over six weeks later some people are still waiting to be paid. The Government insists the vast majority of the six million due the payment have received it and has said that those still waiting should be paid by the end of this week (by 14 November). 

If you claim disability benefits you should be sent a £150 one-off cost of living payment from today (20 September), the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed. Here's all you need to know on whether you're eligible for the money.

Almost all eligible households have now received the first half of their £650 cost of living payment. Here's all you need to know on whether you're eligible for the cash and what to do if you think you're due the payment but haven't yet got it.

Millions of low-income UK households will start to receive the first half of their £650 cost of living payment from TODAY. But be warned, there is a possibility some payments could be delayed. Here's what you need to know. 

Criminals are increasingly trying to capitalise on the cost of living crisis by targeting households with bogus offers of rebates, grants and support payments. But official Government support payments are usually automatic, so if you get a request for information out of the blue via text, email, or phone call – be wary.