Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Cost of Living Increase: Pensioners

Monday 11 July 2022 · 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 2 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • UK Government provided 37 billion in support for those most in need, including pensioners.
  • Pension credit awareness campaign saw a more than 275% increase in numbers for pension credit.
  • UK Government provided four different payments over the next six months as real support to the most vulnerable.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Martyn Day SNP
Benefits & Welfare
Context

The MP raised concerns about the financial struggles faced by pensioners due to rising costs.

Question

What steps her Department is taking to support pensioners in the context of the increase in the cost of living?

Answer from Guy Opperman

The United Kingdom Government have provided £37 billion-worth of support for those most in need, including pensioners. Some pensioners will receive in excess of £1,500 over and above the state pension, which is up this year.

Answered
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Q2 Martyn Day SNP
Benefits & Welfare
Context

The MP pointed out that many pensioners are not claiming the support they are entitled to.

Question

I thank the Minister for that answer, but pension credit figures show that an estimated £1.7 billion goes unclaimed. Not only are 850,000 families missing out on this essential support, but they are also ineligible for the £650 cost of living payment. Will the Minister consider extending the cut-off date for entitlement to that payment to next March? Will the Department finally look at a proper benefits take-up strategy such as the one we have in Scotland?

Answer from Guy Opperman

The hon. Member will be aware that, by reason of the pension credit awareness campaign from April and in particular the pension credit day of action on 15 June, the numbers for pension credit have massively increased—by well over 275% for that period. I ask all hon. Members please to encourage their communities to apply. Finally, he will also be aware that pension credit is retrospective, so people have until 24 August to apply and still be entitled to the £650 cost of living payment that this Government will be making from Thursday.

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Q3 Matt Rodda Lab Reading Central
Economy Benefits & Welfare
Context

The MP highlighted the impact of breaking the triple lock promise on pensioners' finances.

Question

Following the resignation of the Prime Minister, there is a real risk that the House turns in on itself. I want to draw the Minister's attention to the serious cost of living crisis facing families and pensioners in this country. Sadly, the Government broke their promise to keep the triple lock on the state pension at the very time that inflation was starting to rise. As a result, pensioners struggling to get by have each lost more than £500 this year. How can the Minister possibly justify letting down pensioners in this way?

Answer from Guy Opperman

I was the Minister who saw that the Labour party at the time did not object to our taking the actions we did in respect of the triple lock. The hon. Gentleman talks about a loss but, as he knows, the state pension was less than £100 in 2009, before the Government changed in 2010. We have now virtually doubled the state pension and there is in excess of £1,500 extra money going to pensioners this year.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Justification for breaking the triple lock promise

How: We Most Definitely Have

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Q4 Alan Brown SNP
Taxation Benefits & Welfare
Context

The MP expressed concern about pensioners being at risk of poverty due to the possibility of sacrificing the triple lock.

Question

The reality is that even before the Pensions Minister scrapped the triple lock, taking £500 out of the pockets of pensioners, the UK had pensioner poverty rates higher than small independent European countries. We now know that the Chancellor is reviewing the corporation tax rates, which were intended to raise £50 billion over the lifetime of this Parliament. How can he guarantee that the triple lock will not be sacrificed once more, trapping pensioners in poverty just to pay for Tory tax giveaways?

Answer from Guy Opperman

As the hon. Gentleman will be aware, the United Kingdom Government have provided £37 billion-worth of support—[Interruption.] Oh, we most definitely have. That takes the form of four different payments over the next six months and is a real support to the most vulnerable in our community.

Not addressed: Guaranteeing that the triple lock will not be sacrificed

How: Asking All Hon. Members To Encourage Applications, Referring To Retrospective Pension Credit

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