§ Mr. KEATINGasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether an applicant who was entitled to receive an old age pension in August, and whose application was not sanctioned until October, is entitled to receive arrears of pension for the intervening period?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEUnder Section 5 (2) of the Old Age Pensions Act the earliest date at which a pension can commence to accrue is the first Friday after the final decision allowing the claim, and the Treasury has no power to direct payment of a pension from an earlier date. Unless, therefore, a claimant has taken the precaution of making his claim (as he is allowed to do by Section 10 (2) of the Act and the Regulations made thereunder) in advance of his becoming actually entitled to the pension, and such claim has been provisionally allowed before that date, his title to receive a pension does not become operative until after the decision upon his claim has been arrived at.