Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Pension Credit Take-up

Monday 3 February 2025 · 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 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Neil Duncan-Jordan questioned the Minister about steps to increase pension credit take-up, citing 800,000 eligible pensioners not claiming it.
  • Tom Gordon inquired about the impact of increased household bills on pensioners just above the pension credit cut-off, and the removal of winter fuel payments.
  • Rachael Maskell highlighted that only 5% of eligible pensioners have claimed pension credit recently, emphasizing the struggle pensioners face with the cold and financial stability.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Neil Duncan-Jordan Lab Poole
Benefits & Welfare
Context

The latest figures show that at least 800,000 eligible pensioners are not claiming pension credit, which means they have lost out on the winter fuel payment.

Question

What steps she is taking to increase take-up of pension credit. The latest figures show that at least 800,000 pensioners are eligible for pension credit but do not claim it, which means they have now also lost out on the winter fuel payment that they previously would have enjoyed. Does the Minister think that means-testing is working?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Torsten Bell)

It is important that 1.5 million pensioners will receive the winter fuel payments this winter. The statistics my hon. Friend refers to relate to previous years, before the recent take-up campaign. However, he is right to highlight that under the Conservative Government, three in 10 eligible pensioners were missing out.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Minister did not address whether means-testing was working and did not provide further steps beyond the ongoing campaign.

How: Raised Previous Years' Statistics, Acknowledged Past Underperformance Without Committing To Future Action

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Q2 Tom Gordon Lib Dem Harrogate and Knaresborough
Economy Energy Benefits & Welfare
Context

Household bills across the constituency have risen significantly, leading to pensioners just above the cut-off for pension credit facing financial strain.

Question

In recent days and weeks, household bills across my constituency have gone up and up and up. Many who miss out on pension credit because they are just above the cut-off will now be wondering where they will find that extra money. Will the Government think again about the removal of the winter fuel payment and ensure that pension credit is rolled out on a taper?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work Pensions (Torsten Bell)

It is important that we keep driving up the take-up of pension credit, but that is not the only support available to pensioners: everyone will see the state pension rise by over 4% this April; the household support fund is very important and will be extended for another year; and the warm home discount is available to the poorest pensioners.

Not addressed: The Minister did not address the reconsideration of winter fuel payment removal or tapering system for pension credit eligibility.

How: Changed Subject To Other Support Measures

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Q3 Rachael Maskell Labour (Co-op) York Central
Benefits & Welfare
Context

Government figures show an additional 42,500 households have claimed pension credit but this is only about 5% of all those eligible who were not claiming it. Constituency MPs are supporting people struggling with cold and financial balances.

Question

Government figures show that an additional 42,500 households have claimed pension credit, yet that is only about 5% of all those eligible who were not claiming it. As constituency MPs, we are having to support people who are really struggling with the cold and their financial balances. Will the Minister think about setting up a pensioner poverty taskforce, so we can really get underneath the issues facing older people?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Torsten Bell)

I am sure that all Members, on both sides of the House, are providing support to their constituents—pensioners, those of working age and children—to ensure they can cope following a difficult few years for everyone because of the cost of living crisis. On pensioner poverty specifically, it is important that we update our understanding of how that has developed. If we look at the record, we see that pensioner poverty halved under the previous Labour Government, but rose by 300,000 under the Tory Government over the past 14 years.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Minister did not commit to setting up a taskforce and instead compared current performance with that of previous governments without providing new measures.

How: Compared Record With Previous Labour Government

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Q4 Gideon Amos Lib Dem Taunton and Wellington
Energy Benefits & Welfare
Context

Changes to the warm home discount linking it to age and property size have affected many pensioners who are now losing both this benefit and the winter fuel payment.

Question

Those on the guaranteed element of pension credit receive the warm home discount, but many do not. Following the changes made a couple of years ago, linking the warm home discount to the age and size of a property, have the Government made any assessment of how many people have been affected the double whammy of losing the warm home discount and the winter fuel payment?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Torsten Bell)

I have heard the hon. Gentleman’s comment and will raise it with the responsible Minister in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, but it is important that all pensioners who are entitled to support get it. That is what the Government are focused on.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Minister did not provide an assessment of impact and instead deferred to another department without a clear commitment.

How: Deferred To Another Department

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