Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Pension Credit

Monday 4 September 2023 · 3 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

  • The DWP has conducted a campaign across TV, radio, social media, and with partner organisations to boost pension credit take-up.
  • Asylum seekers are given no recourse to public funds and cannot claim benefits.
  • There are 200,000 fewer pensioners in absolute poverty than when Labour left office.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Vicky Ford Con
Benefits & Welfare
Context

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has been running a campaign to boost pension credit take-up.

Question

What steps his Department is taking to increase the number of eligible people claiming pension credit. The DWP has conducted an extensive campaign across TV, radio and social media, and with partner organisations, to boost pension credit take-up, with a number of pushes being made before cost of living payment deadlines.

Answer from Laura Trott

The DWP has conducted an extensive campaign across TV, radio and social media, and with partner organisations, to boost pension credit take-up, with a number of pushes being made before cost of living payment deadlines. Applications were up by 75% in the year to May.

Answered
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Q2 Vicky Ford Con
Asylum & Refugees Benefits & Welfare
Context

A constituent of Vicky Ford's sent a message suggesting that asylum seekers receive more benefits than pensioners, which is believed to be inaccurate.

Question

One of my Chelmsford constituents sent me a message that has been circulating recently. It suggests that asylum seekers are entitled to receive more in benefits than pensioners; I believe that is not accurate. For the record, will the Minister confirm what support is available for pensioners, compared with that for asylum seekers?

Answer from Laura Trott

Let me reassure my right hon. Friend and her constituents that asylum seekers are given no recourse to public funds. They are given payment for their food and shelter, but they are unable to claim benefits. Pensioners in her constituency will receive a state pension, if they qualify, which for the first time is worth on average more than £200 per week or over £10,000 a year. Pensioners who have not built up sufficient contributions may be eligible for pension credits, worth on average £3,500 per year, to top up their income. They are also eligible to receive the cost of living payment, if they ever receive pension credit, and the pensioner cost of living payment.

Answered
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Q3 Cat Smith Lab Lancaster and Wyre
Benefits & Welfare
Context

At events across Wyre, many pensioners have been suffering due to the cost of living crisis.

Question

Over the summer, I held events in villages across Wyre in my constituency. I was approached by many pensioners who are suffering because of the cost of living crisis; pension credit is just not plugging the gap. At my “Chat with Cat” event in Pilling, a constituent asked me why 400,000 more pensioners are living in poverty than when Labour left office.

Answer from Laura Trott

There are 200,000 fewer pensioners in absolute poverty than when Labour left office.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer did not address the increase of 400,000 more pensioners living in poverty; instead it provided a figure showing reduction in poverty numbers since another government's time in office without addressing why there is an increased number under current circumstances.

How: Changing Subject

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