§ Mrs. LaitTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many pensioners he expects to be eligible for the Minimum Income Guarantee following the introduction of the new capital limits; and what plans he has to contact them. [156978]
§ Mr. RookerIn March, some 102,000 pensioners were written to with information on the Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG) and invited to make a claim. These consisted of pensioners who were part of the original take-up campaign but were not entitled due to excess income or capital and those pensioners who had been excluded from the original mailings because they held capital over £8,000. Some 140,000 pensioners will newly benefit as a result of this month's increase to the MIG rates and capital limits.