Pensioners

HC Deb 01 April 2004 vol 419 cc1635-8W

Mr. Willis

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether a final date has been set after which pensioners who do not want to change their payment arrangements will no longer be able to use pension books. [161474]

Mr. Pond

[holding answer 15 March 2004]The last pension book foils can be dated no later than 28 February 2005. This is to allow for three-month validity for encashment prior to the end of the order book contract on 31 May 2005.

Lynne Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what alternative methods of payment he is proposing for people who currently receive a state pension or other benefits by order book, girocheque or payable order but will be unable to transfer to direct payment; [165212]

(2) who will be eligible to receive their (a) state pension and (b) other benefits by methods other than direct payment. [165213]

Mr. Pond

Research has shown that 87 per cent. of all our customers and 90 per cent. of pensioners already have an account suitable for direct payment.

Direct payment will be the best and most secure option for the overwhelming majority of our customers, giving them a more modern and reliable method of payment with greater choice about where and when they collect their money.

We have always recognised that there will be a small number of people who we cannot pay directly into an account. We are finalising the design of a method of payment to properly meet the needs of these customers and it will be cheque based.

Customers who have not supplied account details will be contacted at an appropriate time and the options available to them will be fully explained. This will include the fact that order books will no longer be a payment option.

The move to direct payment is progressing well. Key figures on the progress of conversion to direct payment are available in the Library updated every four weeks.

Mr. Webb

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners whose pension is paid by order book receive their pension on(a) Monday, (b) Tuesday, (c) Wednesday, (d) Thursday and (e) Friday. [148968]

Mr. Pond

[holding answer 19 January 2004]The following table shows a breakdown of State Pensioners receiving their payment by means of an order book, by day of payment.

Number
Monday	2,814,716
Tuesday	430,581
Thursday	815,106
Unknown	4,374
Total	4,064,777

Notes:

1. 1. Figures refer to a snapshot of live accounts in payment on 29 November 2003.
2. 2. Excludes State Pension recipients who receive State Pension combined with another benefit and are paid through another benefit system.
3. 3. Day of payment is calculated by looking at the last payment authorised by the Pension Service, which may be in the future.
4. 4. The day of payment used in this analysis may not be the pensioners usual day of payment if their last payment day in this instrument of payment is altered for any reason (e.g. Christmas).
5. 5. This table shows the day State Pension is paid, not the day the claimant picks up their pension from the Post Office.
6. 6. This answer differs to PQ/04/145975 (Mr Alan Reid) because of change in methodology for calculating these figures.

Source: IAD Information Centre, 100 per cent. sample

Tony Cunningham

; To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the. Department's policy to persuade people to have their pension paid into a bank account includes telephone calls urging them to open a bank account. [164898]

Mr. Pond

Already 87 per cent. of all customers, rising to 90 per cent. of pensioners, have access to a bank account that can receive Direct Payment. It is the role of staff to provide customers with factual information on all of their account options. It is for customers themselves to decide which type of account they wish to have their pensions and benefits paid into. The conversion process normally consists of one or more mailings sent directly to the customer, followed by a telephone call if there is no response to the letter(s). The mailing advises customers that this may happen.

Mr. Burns

To ask lie Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in(a) Essex and (b) the West Chelmsford constituency collect benefits from post offices. [165228]

Mr. Pond

Information available on pensioners (women over 60 and men over 65) as at 31 December 2003 in(a) Essex and (b) West Chelmsford constituency receiving their benefits by a method of payment collectable at a Post Office is shown in the following table. Included in these figures are customers paid into Post Office Card Accounts and customers paid by girocheque. Girocheques are encashable either at a Post Office or they can be paid into a bank or building society account.

Number
Essex	100,215
West Chelmsford	6,050

Some customers who are paid direct into a bank or building society account can also collect their payments in cash at Post Offices through the wider range of banking services now available at the Post Office. There is no data available on the number of benefit claims collected in this way.

Mr. Burns

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in(a) Essex and (b) the West Chelmsford constituency have migrated from over-the-counter benefit payments to direct transfers in each of the last three years for which figures are available. [165229]

Mr. Pond

The information is not available in the format requested. Figures are only available from December 2002.

Information available for the number of pensioners (women aged 60 and over, men aged 65 and over) who migrated from over the counter benefit payments to Direct Payments into bank and building society accounts between December 2002 and December 2003 is shown in the table.

Number
West Chelmsford constituency	950
Essex	12,345

Jon Trickett

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in Hemsworth constituency receive benefits at the Post Office. [145918]

Mr. Pond

[pursuant to his reply, 21 January 2004, Official Report, c. 1347W]: The number of Pensioners in the Hemsworth constituency receiving at least one benefit which can be collected at the Post Office is 10,905. This information has been compiled from data available on 29 November 2003.

War Pensions accounts are not included in this reply as they are now the responsibility of the Ministry of Defence.

Linda Perham

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on changes to services to(a) employers and (b) pensioners in the London borough of Redbridge since 1997. [164875]

Maria Eagle

The delivery of services to Employers in Redbridge is via the Employer Direct Call Centre in Southend which opened in March 2001.

Employer Direct handles inbound calls, faxes and emails from employers wishing to place a vacancy with Jobcentre Plus. They maintain contact with the employer through the life of the vacancy through the Contact Centre within the Region where the employer is based.

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 London Pension Centre in Glasgow has been providing a service to pensioners in the London borough of Redbridge since February 2004. The Pension Centre provides a dedicated service to Pensioners, handling their pension inquiries and applications. Prior to this date these services were provided by Ilford Social Security Office.

Pension Centres are supported by a local service operating in the community—providing face-to-face contact through home visits, appointment surgeries and other outreach activity in locations that customers find convenient, such as libraries, community centres and premises provided by partner organisations, allowing more customers to access The Pension Service.