Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

State Pension: Payment Delays

Monday 8 November 2021 · 4 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Ministerial Department redeployed 700 staff to address delays in state pension payments.
  • Cases of delayed state pension payments, some up to three months, are being reported across the House.
  • Department reports that all delayed claims have been processed except for those needing further customer information.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Alison Thewliss SNP
Benefits & Welfare
Context

There have been delays in the processing of state pension claims, with some constituents facing financial hardship due to these delays.

Question

What steps her Department is taking to tackle delays in payment of the state pension. Two of my constituents should have started receiving their state pensions at the start of August and were on the verge of destitution when I was contacted in October by the welfare rights officer at Glasgow West housing association. Following the intervention from my office, both have now received what they were due from the Department for Work and Pensions, but they are by no means the only people to be hit by this latest DWP shambles. I am really concerned for people who do not have anybody like a housing association or an MP to advocate for them, so will the Minister tell me how many people he estimates have been affected by this altogether? What more can he do to put it right and make sure that those who do not have somebody advocating for them do not get left behind?

Answer from Guy Opperman

We accept that there have been delays, and we have taken significant action in the form of the redeployment of 700 staff to address those. I am pleased that the cases of the two constituents that the hon. Member outlined have now been addressed. The particular problem has been in respect of the receipt of further information from particular applicants, and those matters are being addressed on an ongoing basis.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The exact number of people affected by delays was not provided.

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Q2 Alison Thewliss SNP
Benefits & Welfare
Context

There have been reports of delays in the processing of state pension claims, with some cases taking as long as three months.

Question

People work hard all their lives and pay in to save for their retirement; they deserve to be paid their state pension on time. Colleagues across the House, as we have heard, are reporting more and more cases of delays in payment, some of which are as long as three months. This is a basic service provided by the Government, which we all rely on. How on earth did these delays come about? When will the Government take this seriously, and when will pensions finally be paid on time?

Answer from Guy Opperman

Obviously, the hon. Gentleman did not listen to my earlier answer. This matter was addressed by the end of October. The reality of the situation is that the pandemic has caused delays to state pensions, with issues relating to illness, self-isolation, caring, training, location, staffing, equipment, recruiting.

Not addressed: The question about how delays occurred and when they will be resolved was not directly answered.

How: Blaming The Pandemic

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Q3 Matt Rodda Lab Reading Central
Scotland Benefits & Welfare
Context

The Government has proposed breaking the triple lock on pensions, which would result in an average cut of £2,600 over five years for pensioners.

Question

There are not just delays to the state pension, but underpayments. The British Government are also set to hammer pensioners' incomes, with a cut of £2,600 on average over the next five years as a result of their plan to break the pensions triple lock, which the House of Lords rejected last week with a majority of 102—led, indeed, by a Conservative. Will the Minister do the right thing and U-turn on his plans to scrap the triple lock on pensions? If not, is it not the case that the British Government just cannot be trusted with pensions, and that the only way to ensure dignity and fairness in retirement for Scots is with independence?

Answer from Guy Opperman

I have heard it all. How on earth the Scottish Government, were they in any event to get independence, would be able to pay ongoing state pensions is a mystery that no Scottish politician has ever been able to answer. The factual reality is that the state pension, by reason of the triple lock, is up £2,000 per person, something that would never happen under an independent Scotland—that is for sure.

Not addressed: The specific question about reconsidering the plan to break the triple lock was not addressed directly.

How: Challenging Scottish Independence

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Q4 David Linden SNP
Benefits & Welfare
Context

The government has acknowledged delays in the processing of state pensions and is introducing a tele-claims service.

Question

What steps her Department is taking to tackle delays in payment of the state pension. I thank the Minister for that answer. Two of my constituents should have started receiving their state pensions at the start of August and were on the verge of destitution when I was contacted in October by the welfare rights officer at Glasgow West housing association. Following the intervention from my office, both have now received what they were due from the Department for Work and Pensions, but they are by no means the only people to be hit by this latest DWP shambles. I am really concerned for people who do not have anybody like a housing association or an MP to advocate for them, so will the Minister tell me how many people he estimates have been affected by this altogether? What more can he do to put it right and make sure that those who do not have somebody advocating for them do not get left behind?

Answer from Guy Opperman

I am advised that all delayed claims have been processed, except for those that require further customer information. Some 70% to 80% of claims are now made digitally by Get your State Pension, with over 50% being cleared the same day. We are, however, introducing a new tele-claims service that will supplement the paper applications, which we accept have been lengthy and have incurred delays.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The exact number of people affected by delays was not provided.

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