§ 100. Wing-Commander Robinsonasked the Minister of National Insurance whether, in view of the fact that many members of the public are unaware of their full pension entitlements, he will amend the Contributory Pensions Acts so that those otherwise entitled to pensions need no longer be debarred from claiming them because they have failed to collect them within three months of falling due.
Mr. GriffithsThere is no provision which has the effect suggested by the hon. 415W and gallant Member's Question. Title to an old age pension under the Contributory Pensions Acts normally arises at the age of 65 in the case of a man, 60 in the case of a woman, and title to widow's pension on an insured man's death, and this I think is well understood by those concerned. When a claim to pension is not made within three months of the date on which title arose, the pension is not lost, but payment of arrears is limited to three months. As regards a pension in payment, payment is limited to sums claimed within three months of the due date. This is clearly brought to the notice of all pensioners by means of an instruction in the pension order book and a warning on the face of each weekly pension order.