News story

16th July 2002

CSR Target Reveals Over 1 Million Pensioner Households to Miss Out

Steve Webb MP, Liberal Democrat Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary today revealed that a Government target buried within the 2002 Spending Review predicts that over 1 million pensioner households will miss out on their flagship Pension Credit.

The target, which is described as “new and challenging” aims to ensure that the Department for Work and Pensions will pay Pension Credit to “at least 3 million pensioner households by 2006”. However, a Steve Webb written answer reveals that 4.1 million pensioner households will be entitled to Pension Credit.

Steve Webb said:

“It is astonishing that the Government has produced a target to pay Pension Credit to only three quarters of the pensioners who will be entitled – and this is three years after it has been introduced.

“The Government seems to have accepted that means tested benefits will never be received by vast numbers of needy pensioners. Increasing the pension, particularly for the oldest pensioners is the only way to ensure that the poorest pensioners receive the money that is rightfully theirs.”

ENDS


Notes to editors:

· The Government target can be found on pg.120 of the 2002 Spending Review. The target is for at least 3 million pensioner households to be receiving Pension Credit by 2006. However, in a written answer to Steve Webb (18th April 2002, Col. 118W), the Pensions Minister, Ian McCartney revealed that that 4.1 million pensioner households will be entitled to Pension Credit in 2003-04:

“Therefore the total case load estimated to be entitled to pension credit in 2003–04 is around 4.1 million households.”