16-10-03

Pension Credit take-up ‘lower than worst expectations’ – Barrett

John Barrett, Liberal Democrat MP for Edinburgh West, today wrote to the Department of Work & Pensions, after new figures showed that less than 39% of eligible pensioners are in receipt of the new Pension Credit.

In a written statement to Parliament, the Secretary of State for Work & Pensions, Andrew Smith, admitted that only 1.9 million pensioners were receiving Pension Credit, just 250,000 more than those who were automatically transferred over from the old Minimum Income Guarantee.

John Barrett has now tabled a number of parliamentary questions and has written to Andrew Smith, asking for a full Pension Credit take-up breakdown for Edinburgh to see how many City pensioners are losing out.

In a statement, John Barrett said:

"These Pension Credit take-up figures are atrocious and even lower than the worst expectations.  The announcement means that millions of pensioners are not getting the money to which they are entitled.

"Answers to my parliamentary questions earlier in the year showed that some 11,000 Edinburgh pensioners were eligible for but not claiming the old Minimum Income Guarantee.  If the Government's latest statistics are right, it will mean that even more pensioners are not getting Pension Credit.  That is why I decided to write to the Secretary of State to find out how exactly how many local pensioners are not getting the money they deserve.

"Clearly the complexity of the Pension Credit is putting many pensioners off.  The Government must make sure the application process is as simple and straightforward as possible with enough staff available on the helpline to assist.

"Better still, the Government must get over their obsession with means testing which is failing to relieve pensioner poverty and bring in a substantial increase in the state pension so that all pensioners get a fairer deal from the state in their retirement."

ENDS