SERPS (Hansard, 20 July 2001)

HC Deb 20 July 2001 vol 372 c685W 685W

§ Mr. Willetts
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost is of writing to pensioners about their entitlement to inherited SERPS; if all the letters have now been sent out; and if he will place a copy of the letter in the Library. [2264]

§ Mr. McCartney
A letter was issued in February and March 2001 to inform pensioners of the changes in inherited SERPS and to reassure them that they will be unaffected by the changes. It was sent to approximately 8.3 million pensioner households. The cost of sending the letter was £1,887,126. A copy of the letter was placed in the Library on 29 January.
A second letter is scheduled to be issued later this summer to approximately 1.3 million people who will also be unaffected by the changes in inherited SERPS. These are people who have reached state pension age since the first letter was issued and also those who will reach state pension age by 5 October 2002. The estimated cost of sending this letter is £560,000. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library before this letter goes out.

§ Mr. Webb
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will place in the Library(a) a copy of the letter informing pensioners that they are unaffected by the changes in entitlement to inherited SERPS and (b)a copy of the letter informing people that they might be affected by the changes that are being issued by his Department. [3148]

§ Mr. McCartney
A letter was issued in February and March 2001 to inform pensioners of the changes in inherited SERPS and to reassure them that they will be unaffected by the changes. It was sent to approximately 8.3 million pensioner households. A copy of the letter has been placed in the Library.
A second letter is scheduled to be issued later this summer to approximately 1.3 million people who will also be unaffected by the changes in inherited SERPS. These are people who have reached state pension age since the first letter was issued and also those who will reach state pension age by 5 October 2002. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library.
A further letter is to be issued to 5.25 million people who will be affected by the reduction in SERPS on the sliding scale. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library.