§ 26. Miss McIntoshTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what representations he has received on the impact of means testing on applications for the Minimum Income Guarantee. [471]
§ Mr. McCartneyThe link between the intrusive and complex nature of means testing and non take-up of the minimum income guarantee by some pensioners has been established. A key objective of the Pension Credit is to tackle pensioner poverty and by 2003 no pensioner will have to live on less than £100 per week and couples no less than £154. It will reduce complexity, by modernising processes and removing outdated rules and reduce intrusiveness by, for example, abolishing the weekly means test.
§ 29. Mr. KirkwoodTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what are the most recent estimates of increased take-up of the Minimum Income Guarantee as a result of the pensioner take-up advertising campaign. [474]
§ Mr. McCartneyOver 110,000 additional awards of the Minimum Income Guarantee had been made by the end of May 2001.
§ 30. David TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of pensioners in North-West Leicestershire who are entitled to the minimum income guarantee but who are not receiving it. [475]
§ Mr. McCartneyEstimates of the number of pensioners entitled but not claiming the minimum income guarantee are not available below national levels. Around two million of the poorest pensioners are now receiving MIG. While over 110,000 additional awards had been made by the end of May 2001, generated by the take-up campaign.
§ Mr. Simon ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of pensioners in Wales have taken up the Minimum Income Guarantee. [476]
§ Mr. McCartneyEstimates of take-up and non take-up of MIG are not available below national levels. However, over 20,000 additional pensioners in Wales have been awarded MIG during the period of the take-up campaign.