HC Deb 21 July 2004 vol 424 cc330-1W
Mr. Amess

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the take-up of pension credit. [185418]

Malcolm Wicks

I refer the hon. Member to the Written Statement by my hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 15 July 2004,Official Report, columns 77—78WS.

Mr. Amess

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what percentage of pensioners he estimate will not be claiming pension credit by 2006. [185422]

Malcolm Wicks

The information is not available in the form requested. The Department has set a Public Service Agreement target for at least three million pensioner households, corresponding to around 3.7 million individuals, to be in receipt of pension credit by March 2006 and is on course to achieve this. A projection based on available data suggests that approximately 3.85 million households, corresponding to around 5 million individuals, are likely to be eligible for Pension Credit in Great Britain in 2005–06. This projection, rounded to the nearest 50,000 households or individuals, includes a number of assumptions which will be sensitive to change. It is subject to a wide margin of error and should be used as a broad indication of the likely eligible population only.