Man has his pension cut

Dave Welldon had 1p a week taken off his pension

Dave Welldon was astonished to received a letter saying his weekly income would fall from £148.23 to £148.22.

After being adjusted for inflation his pension will be £151.57 from April - 1p a week less than expected.

The deduction was made after the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) found a shortfall in National Insurance contributions paid by Mr Welldon, of East Ardsley.

Dave Weldon has received a letter from the DWP saying because of a shortfall in National Insurance payments, they are taking 1p a week off his pension for the rest of his retirement.

Former engineer Mr Welldon, who retired last June, was notified of the 1p cut in an eight-page letter received at his home on Orange Tree Grove.

Mr Welldon, 65, said: “The cost of the postage will be more than they will take off me in a year.

“If I live to be 100 then 52p a year for 35 years is only £18.

“People who are working are paying for my state pension. That’s what grieves me about it.”

Despite the small amount being cut from his payments, the DWP told Mr Welldon he may be able to get more Pension Credits to help make up the shortfall.

He added: “I don’t have to pay it back because it’s their mistake.

“If you work it out, from when I retired in June to when they changed it, it’s 37p.”

The DWP’s letter said: “The total amount of your state pension is now less than we told you because you did not have as many National Insurance contributions as were previously recorded or there may have been a reduction in your Additional State Pension.”

The DWP was contacted for a comment but had not responded before the Observer and Advertiser went to print.

Man has his pension cut - by 1p a week