HC Deb 10 December 1946 vol 431 cc200-1W
93. Mr. Driberg

asked the Minister of National Insurance approximately what percentage of those entitled to the increased old age pension have not yet received it.

Mr. Steele

Of just over 4,000,000 old age pensions in payment at the end of September, some 600,000 were not put up to the new rates, principally because the information available indicated that the pensioners had not retired. While precise figures are not available, the number of these cases in which an outstanding claim to an increase of pension is still being investigated is estimated to be not more than 1 per cent. of the total number brought under review. The claim in the great majority of these cases is that the pensioner or her husband fulfilled the retirement condition at 1st October, but they also include cases in which retirement is more recent.