§ Mr. BerryTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what research her Department(a) has undertaken and (b) plans to undertake to examine the degree to which sensory impairments are a contributing factor in the low take-up of income-related benefit amongst pensioners. [20602]
§ Mr. Keith BradleyThe Department commissioned a review of research on the take-up of benefits which covered aspects of sensory impairment amongst many others (Cordon, A., 1995, Changing Perspectives on Benefit Take-up, London: HMSO).
732WWe have now commissioned research to identify the most important barriers to pensioners not claiming the Income Support to which they are entitled.
We are determined to get help to the million pensioners who are not taking up their entitlement to Income Support, and will be running a number of pilot schemes from April next year to find the best way to help them to claim their entitlement.