Poverty Pensioners 2022-02-07
2022-02-07
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Context
Pensioners in North Shropshire and across the country are facing increased poverty due to rising costs of living, particularly food and energy bills. The local Conservative-led council is also increasing council tax.
What steps her Department is taking to tackle levels of poverty among pensioners. Pensioners across North Shropshire and the rest of the country are falling into poverty. Last week, a retired couple from Ellesmere in my constituency contacted me to tell me that they have been put in the heartbreaking position of having to choose between heating and eating.
I welcome the hon. Lady to her place in the House of Commons, and I welcome back the hon. Member for East Dunbartonshire (Amy Callaghan). It is good to see her back in her place—I am pleased to see that. The practical truth is that pensioner poverty has reduced under this Government. This Government increased state pension by 2.5% in 2021-22 and will uprate it by 3.1% in 2022-23. We are also spending approximately £5 billion to support 1.4 million pensioners through pension credit.
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Assessment & feedback
The specific ask about heating and eating choice was not directly addressed with concrete steps or figures.
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
Pensioners in North Shropshire and the rest of the country are facing increased poverty due to rising costs of living, particularly food and energy bills. The local Conservative-led council is also increasing council tax.
What steps can the Secretary of State or the Minister take to ensure that our retired residents are not put into this dreadful position of choosing between heating and eating?
I refer the hon. Lady to the specific points set out by the Chancellor last week, namely the £144 million-worth of discretionary funding, the non-repayable £150 cash rebate and the £200 smoothing rebate on energy bills for all households. Those are in addition to the ability to claim for pension credit, which is, of course, a passport to many different pension awards in many different situations.
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Assessment & feedback
The specific ask about heating and eating choice was not directly addressed with concrete steps or figures.
Response accuracy
Q3
Partial Answer
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Context
There are now around 200,000 fewer older workers in the economy than there were pre-pandemic.
Will the Minister sit down with his colleagues the Employment Ministers and look at participation rates in the workforce among older workers? Some estimates suggest that there are now around 200,000 fewer older workers in the economy than there were pre pandemic. It is important that we bring out all the skills in the economy, not least to fill some of the employment gaps.
My right hon. Friend makes a very good point, as he should do, being a former Secretary of State and very wise on these issues. The Under-Secretary of state, my hon. Friend the Member for Mid Sussex (Mims Davies), has set out the “50 PLUS: Choices” programme and the amazing package of work that is available to people over the age of 50 who wish to return to the workplace.
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Assessment & feedback
The specific ask about participation rates was not directly addressed with concrete steps or figures.
Response accuracy
Q4
Partial Answer
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Context
Many pensioners are facing an impossible choice between heating and eating. Pension credit and the basic state pension are being cut in real terms today.
Will those million pensioners who do not pay council tax get the £150 rebate automatically or will they have to apply for it? If they have to apply, will he guarantee that 100% of pensioners will get that money this April?
First, I thank the right hon. Gentleman for his kind comments. I wanted him to stop there, but I fully understood why he did not. On his specific point, I understand that the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities is publishing guidance on that today.
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Assessment & feedback
The specific ask about automatic distribution was not directly addressed with concrete steps or figures.
Response accuracy
Q5
Partial Answer
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Before the Conservative government came into office, the state pension was £95 a week. This year it will rise to £185 a week.
Can my hon. Friend confirm that before this Government came into office in 2009-10, the state pension was £95 a week and that this year it will rise to £185 a week? Does he agree that this explains why there are over 200,000 fewer pensioners in absolute poverty than there were a decade ago?
Under the coalition and the Conservative Government there has been a record increase in the state pension. We have never spent as much as we now spend on the state pension—£105 billion. It has almost doubled compared with under the last Labour Government. The practical reality is that there is £129 billion when all the other benefits are added in.
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Assessment & feedback
The specific ask about confirmation and agreement was not directly addressed with concrete steps or figures.
Response accuracy
Q6
Partial Answer
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Context
Pensioner poverty is at a 15-year high, with 2.1 million pensioners classed as living in poverty.
What impact assessment have the Government undertaken on the removal of the triple lock, and how many more pensioners are going to be plunged into poverty?
The hon. Gentleman will know that there are 200,000 fewer pensioners in absolute poverty than in 2009-10. Through the triple lock and the work that the coalition Government did and this Conservative Government have done, we have never paid pensioners more.
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Assessment & feedback
The specific ask about impact assessment was not directly addressed with concrete steps or figures.
Response accuracy
Q7
Partial Answer
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Context
The Chancellor announced a support package on energy prices.
Will the Minister ensure that supporting our pensioners remains a top priority across Government? What is he doing personally to ensure that as many pensioners as possible benefit from the Chancellor's support package on energy prices?
Yes, of course, is the short answer. We are doing a huge amount, particularly on pension credit, which addresses the situation of low-income pensioners. We are working with the BBC, various energy companies, Age UK and many other organisations to get greater take-up of pension credit.
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Assessment & feedback
The specific ask about ensuring priority was not directly addressed with concrete steps or figures.
Response accuracy