§ Mr. Nigel JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the cost of paying the state retirement pension from the day a claimant reaches pensionable age rather than from the Monday following that day. [158348]
§ Mr. RookerThe current regulations, originally introduced in 1948, provide for the payment of retirement pension in whole weeks. These regulations also apply at the end of a claim as retirement pension is paid to the end of the week—regardless of the day in the week entitlement to the benefit ceases.
If payment were made for part-weeks and, as now, no attempt was made to recover benefit paid for the remainder of the week after entitlement ceases, we estimate the costs would be up to £20 million.