§ Mr. CryerTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his Department's practice with regard to warning applicants for private pension schemes that they may forfeit state benefits and any local authority benefits dependent on his Department's qualifications, if income from a private pension exceeds a given level.
§ Mr. ScottThe leaflets and guides which the Department issues in relation to each benefit explain the current effect, if any, of receipt of an occupational pension on the benefit concerned. These leaflets and guides are available from local social security offices and post offices. It would not be practicable for the Department to give definitive information to individuals about the likely effect—possibly up to 40 years later—of their entitlement to an occupational or personal pension on state and local authority-administered benefits.