Pension Books (Hansard, 8 June 2000)

§ Mr. Rooker

The administration of benefits is a matter for Alexis Cleveland, the Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency. She will write to my hon. Friend. If he has a particular constituency problem then perhaps he will write to me.

Letter from Charlie MacKinnon to Mr. Clive Efford, dated 6 June 2000: The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked Alexis Cleveland to reply to your recent Parliamentary questions about the performance targets for the issue of pension books, the average time it takes a widow to receive her pension book from the date of bereavement and the number of pension books that have been recalled due to errors by the Benefits Agency in each of the past three years. Due to annual leave I am replying on her behalf. At April 2000, 56% of widows and retirement pensioners received their payments by order book, out of a customer base in excess of 11 million. The Benefit Agency does not have a target for the issue of order books. It measures performance from the date a claim is received to the date the benefit is awarded. The current clearance targets for straightforward Retirement Pension claims is 95% within 60 days and for Widows Benefit claims 85% in 30 days. On average a Widows Benefit claim is awarded within seven days of receipt of the claim. Once the benefit has been awarded on the Pension Strategy Computer System an electronic interface between that system and the Area Computer Centre arranges for the production and issue of the order book to the relevant destination. This can be the post office or the customer's home address. I am unable to advise you of the number of pension books that have been recalled over the last three years due to Benefit Agency error as Pension order books are recalled for a number of reasons including changes in customer's circumstances. Detailed records are not kept on the reasons for recall. I hope this is helpful.