§ Mr. WillettsTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his most recent estimate is of the average time between a pensioner submitting an application for pension credit and receipt of the first payment. [172003]
§ Malcom WicksThe information is not available in the form requested. However, the average time taken to clear Pension Credit applications in March was 9.6 working days, running from the time when all the necessary evidence has been obtained from the customer to the point at which a decision on the application is made. Payment will normally follow within a few days.
§ Mr. WillettsTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his Department plans to reduce the length of the pension credit application form. [172006]
§ Malcolm WicksThe pension credit application form is kept under review and improved where necessary, most recently in April this year. There are no current plans to fundamentally alter its format or length. The application process for pension credit has been designed to be straightforward and the majority of application forms are completed for the customer over the freephone application line.
§ Mr. WebbTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his answer of 4 May 2004,Official Report, column 1461W, on pensions, if he will estimate the effects of this reform in 2006–07 on the number of recipients of pension credit. [173397]
§ Malcolm WicksIt is estimated that under the suggested reform there would be 1,100,000 fewer recipients of pension credit in 2006–07 (rounded to the nearest 100,000) than under the existing system.