DWP urges millions to claim little-known benefit - and it could boost your pension by £328 a year

Millions of households are being encouraged to claim Carer's credit, which could increase their state pension by up to £328 annually. This alert is aimed specifically at unpaid carers who don't earn enough to make National Insurance contributions and may not be eligible for a full state pension.

State pension qualifications include at least 10 years' worth of NI contributions, and 35 years are needed to receive the full amount worth £221 weekly. Brits can claim free credits to fill gaps created by career breaks before voluntarily buying back any missing years.

Experts at Mobilise, a community for unpaid carers, are encouraging the UK's 10 million carers to apply for 'carer's credit' so they have access to the full new state pension. Carer's credit ensures any years where you're not paying national insurance because of time spent caring are still counted.

The scheme helps unpaid carers continue to build up towards that 35-year target. Each annual credit missed could cost you 1/35th of the value of your state pension, according to wealth manager Quilter. By claiming the credit, you could potentially increase your state pension by £328 annually - adding up to over £6,000 over the course of a typical retirement.

Suzanne Bourne, care expert at Mobilise, highlighted the potential pension pitfalls for long-term carers: "If you start work at 21 and stop working at 51 to care for your partner, you will only receive a partial state pension when you turn 66." She warned that this could be a significant financial shock but one that might be mitigated with the carer's credit. "We're encouraging everyone to check whether they are eligible as soon as possible."

Bourne also noted that carer's credit could be backdated to the beginning