§ Mr. WillettsTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he plans to adopt the recommendation in his Department's Research Report 172, Social Fund use amongst older people, to establish a separate Social Fund for minimum income guarantee claimants as part of the new Pension Service. [74731]
§ Mr. McCartneyThe Government are committed to improving the service currently provided to today's and future pensioners. The Pension Service has replaced the Benefits Agency services for pensioners from 1 April 2002, and is working to introduce an improved service tailored to the needs of pensioners. The Pension Service has been developed as a customer-focused organisation after researching what customers need and expect from the Government in relation to pensions business.
The Pension Service will play a crucial role in both tackling pensioner poverty and encouraging saving by providing a dedicated service for today's pensioners, using modern technology whether they deal with us by telephone or through the internet, by post or face-to-face. It will also improve the service to future pensioners, by providing accurate information to help them make decisions about saving for their retirement. The Pension Service is committed to making access to benefits and services for pensioners, including the Social Fund, as simple and straightforward as possible.
204WDWP Research Report No. 172 'Social Fund use amongst older people' raised some interesting and important issues. We are giving careful consideration to these issues and how best to address them.