County women set to get full state pensions

Women in Gloucestershire who had not paid enough National Insurance will be entitled to a full state pension if they top it up with a one-off payment.

Up to 555,000 people in the UK could benefit from the policy change, which will allow them to make up for missed NI contributions, according to the Daily Mail.

It is estimated that several thousand women in Gloucestershire could benefit from the scheme.

It will potentially boost the retirement income of a generation of older women who stayed at home to raise children or care for sick or disabled family members.

Only around a third of women reaching pension age qualify for a full basic state pension.

Under the current system people can buy back the previous six years of missed NI contributions.

But today, Pensions Secretary James Purnell is set to announce an amendment to the new Pensions Bill which will allow women to buy back up to six more years.

The move marks a change of heart for the Government which last year overturned an amendment to Pensions Bill designed to give people the opportunity to buy back extra years of missed contributions.

Mr Purnell said around 75% of women reaching state pension age will be entitled to a full basic state pension by 2010, rising to 90% by 2025.

Age Concern, which has a long-running campaign to change pension rules, welcomed the U-turn.

A spokesman for the charity said: "We are absolutely thrilled. The Government should be congratulated for finally delivering a fairer deal for women and carers."