HC Deb 10 December 2001 vol 376 cc601-2W
24. Kali Mountford

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to ensure pensioners who have savings for their retirement do not lose entitlement to benefits. [19165]

Mr. McCartney

I refer my hon. Friend to my right hon. Friend's oral statement on 28 November.

We have already raised the capital limits for pensioners in the Minimum Income Guarantee. When Pension Credit is introduced we will abolish the rule which excludes pensioners with £12,000 or more in savings from any help and halve the current assumed rate of income. In addition, for the first time, we will reward— not penalise— savings, ensuring those who have worked hard to save modest amounts gain from having done so.

27. Mr. McWalter

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department is taking to help pensioners claim the benefits to which they are entitled. [19168]

Mr. McCartney

We are always concerned to ensure that those eligible for the receipt of benefits can achieve their legal entitlements and we are particularly concerned to ensure that the poorest among our pensioners have their entitlement increased to reach the Minimum Income Guarantee.

That is why we launched a national take up campaign in May 2000 writing to 2 million pensioners informing them about MIG. We are following this up and from 15 October 2001 callers to the Retirement Pension telecentre who are not already receiving MIG are asked a series of questions to identify if they may be entitled and encouraged to claim if they wish to do so. Those pensioners who claim Retirement Pension by post are sent a MIG leaflet.

We are looking at a number of options to extend this service so that a claim to MIG will be invited automatically following certain key life events, for example when the pensioner reaches age 75 or 80 or when another benefit such as Attendance Allowance is awarded.

We are also working in partnership with organisations for older people to improve access to benefits and take up of the MIG. This includes projects on a national good practice guide and a survey of local take up initiatives.

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