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722576

registered interest
date	19/04/2017
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Pensioners: Poverty
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reasons pensioner poverty increased between 2014-15 and 2015-16.
tabling member constituency	Oldham East and Saddleworth
tabling member printed	Debbie Abrahams
uin	71259
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/04/2017 answer text <p>Latest Households Below Average Income (HBAI) data on low income rates for pensioners showed increases between 2014/15 and 2015/16 on a relative and absolute basis. None of the increases in low income rates were statistically significant, which means we cannot say with high confidence the change is a real one, rather than due to having a different sample for this year of the survey.</p><p>These estimates are from sample survey data and subject to statistical uncertainty. Small changes on a year-to-year basis are particularly subject to these uncertainties and it is therefore difficult to identify causality. As such, focus should be more on longer-term trends rather than small year-on-year changes.</p><p> </p><p>Full explanations of the trends in low income rates are available in HBAI:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/households-below-average-income-199495-to-201516" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/households-below-average-income-199495-to-201516</a></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Watford answering member printed Richard Harrington question first answered 24/04/2017 11:00:14 answering member 4068 label Biography information for Lord Harrington of Watford
tabling member	4212 label Biography information for Debbie Abrahams

715806

registered interest
date	30/03/2017
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Workplace Pensions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effect of planned increases in minimum contributions on the level of automatic enrolment opt-outs.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	70109
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/04/2017 answer text <p>Automatic enrolment is a programme that is working: 7.5 million individuals have already been automatically enrolled into a workplace pension by over 464,000 employers. Due to lower than expected opt-outs the opt-out assumption over the duration of the programme has been revised from 28% to 15%. We continue to monitor the position as roll-out continues.</p> answering member constituency Watford answering member printed Richard Harrington question first answered 18/04/2017 15:30:31 answering member 4068 label Biography information for Lord Harrington of Watford
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

715807

registered interest
date	30/03/2017
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Carers: Pensions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information his Department holds on the trends in the number of carers withdrawing their private pensions before reaching state pension age.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	70110
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/04/2017 answer text <p>The government does not hold data on the number of carers withdrawing their private pensions to access the pension freedoms. The introduction of the pension freedoms offered individuals more choice on how to manage their financial affairs. The Government believes that in general people should be trusted to make their own choices about how to use their pension savings in later life - that includes access due to caring or ill health.</p><p> </p><p>Many people with caring responsibilities can and do balance work and care, and this helps them plan for and boost their retirement income, and maintain wellbeing in later life. In recognition Government is working to ensure that adult carers can be supported to remain in and return to work. For example Government is working with stakeholders on a Carers Strategy to strengthen the support that is available to carers and has ensured that carers are central to its reforms to care and support with stronger rights in the Care Act 2014.</p><p> </p><p>Through its recent Fuller Working Lives Strategy and its Work, Health and Disability Green Paper, the government has set out to ensure that wherever possible people with health conditions can be supported to remain in and return to work. This is good for both their finances, health and wellbeing. People who are unable to work and who are in receipt of certain welfare benefits will receive National Insurance credits to ensure they continue to build up Qualifying Years for their State Pension.</p><p> </p><p>We are working with industry bodies, consumer representatives, the Treasury, the Financial Conduct Authority and the Pensions Regulator to interpret emerging research and data findings, and actively monitoring the market to understand the choices that consumers are making and identify emerging concerns.</p> answering member constituency Watford answering member printed Richard Harrington grouped question UIN 70182 question first answered 18/04/2017 16:39:45 answering member 4068 label Biography information for Lord Harrington of Watford
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

715813

registered interest
date	30/03/2017
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Pensions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the implications for the financial security of people who are unable to work who withdraw their pensions before they reach the state pension age.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	70182
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/04/2017 answer text <p>The government does not hold data on the number of carers withdrawing their private pensions to access the pension freedoms. The introduction of the pension freedoms offered individuals more choice on how to manage their financial affairs. The Government believes that in general people should be trusted to make their own choices about how to use their pension savings in later life - that includes access due to caring or ill health.</p><p> </p><p>Many people with caring responsibilities can and do balance work and care, and this helps them plan for and boost their retirement income, and maintain wellbeing in later life. In recognition Government is working to ensure that adult carers can be supported to remain in and return to work. For example Government is working with stakeholders on a Carers Strategy to strengthen the support that is available to carers and has ensured that carers are central to its reforms to care and support with stronger rights in the Care Act 2014.</p><p> </p><p>Through its recent Fuller Working Lives Strategy and its Work, Health and Disability Green Paper, the government has set out to ensure that wherever possible people with health conditions can be supported to remain in and return to work. This is good for both their finances, health and wellbeing. People who are unable to work and who are in receipt of certain welfare benefits will receive National Insurance credits to ensure they continue to build up Qualifying Years for their State Pension.</p><p> </p><p>We are working with industry bodies, consumer representatives, the Treasury, the Financial Conduct Authority and the Pensions Regulator to interpret emerging research and data findings, and actively monitoring the market to understand the choices that consumers are making and identify emerging concerns.</p> answering member constituency Watford answering member printed Richard Harrington grouped question UIN 70110 question first answered 18/04/2017 16:39:44 answering member 4068 label Biography information for Lord Harrington of Watford
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

715814

registered interest
date	30/03/2017
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	State Retirement Pensions: Age
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the implications of regional variations in life expectancy for the forthcoming changes to the state pension age.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	70183
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/04/2017 answer text <p>The Government will present its first Review of the State Pension age to Parliament in May 2017. It will consider the reports produced by the Government Actuary and the independent reviewer John Cridland CBE. The Government’s review will be forward looking and will not recommend State Pension age changes to be made before 2028. Any proposed changes would be brought for Parliamentary consideration and would require primary legislation.</p><p> </p><p>The Office of National Statistics published figures on life expectancy at birth and at age 65 by local areas for the UK last November, as part of their publication on health state life expectancies. The publication and accompanying data can be found here: <a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/healthandlifeexpectancies/bulletins/healthstatelifeexpectanciesuk/2013to2015" target="_blank">https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/healthandlifeexpectancies/bulletins/healthstatelifeexpectanciesuk/2013to2015</a></p> answering member constituency Watford answering member printed Richard Harrington question first answered 18/04/2017 16:34:54 answering member 4068 label Biography information for Lord Harrington of Watford
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

715815

registered interest
date	30/03/2017
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Retirement
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effect of poor health on an individual's ability to make financial preparations for retirement.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	70184
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/04/2017 answer text <p><strong></strong></p><p>In addition to increasing employment prospects for women above the age of 60, this Government has introduced the New State Pension. The system in place for people who reached their State Pension age before 6 April 2016 was extremely complex and the new State Pension brings greater clarity by helping people to understand their State Pension more easily. It is also much more generous for many women who have been historically worse off under the old system. On average, women reaching State Pension age last year get a higher state pension over their lifetimes than women who reached State Pension age at any point before them, even when the acceleration of State Pension age is taken into account. And, by 2030, over 3 million women stand to gain an average of £550 extra per year as a result of these changes.</p><p> </p><p>The New State Pension works hand in hand with Automatic Enrolment, enabling many more people to save in a workplace pension. And, combined with reviews of the State Pension age, these measures are designed to form the main elements of a sustainable basis of retirement income in the decades to come.</p><p> </p><p>The new State Pension is based on an individual’s National Insurance record. There is a comprehensive crediting system in place for those who need it. People who are unable to work and who are in receipt of certain welfare benefits will receive National Insurance credits to ensure they continue to build up Qualifying Years for their State Pension.</p><p> </p><p>To provide a secure and dignified retirement for those pensioners who would otherwise find themselves without an adequate income, Pension Credit is available. This is an income-related benefit paid out of general taxation which targets help at the poorest pensioners.</p><p> </p><p>Pension Credit tops up a person’s other income to a standard minimum amount – currently £159.35 a week for a single person and £243.25 for a couple. Higher amounts may be available for those with a severe disability, caring responsibilities or certain housing costs.</p><p> </p><p>For private pension saving, the Government is committed to providing free, impartial guidance through Pension Wise, to help people make informed and confident decisions about how they use any defined contribution pension savings they may have for their retirement.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Through its recent Fuller Working Lives Strategy and the Work, Health and Disability Green Paper, the Government is working with employers to target the support needed for individuals aged 50 years and over to remain in the labour market for longer as this brings benefits for an individual’s finances, health and wellbeing.</p> answering member constituency Watford answering member printed Richard Harrington question first answered 18/04/2017 16:57:39 answering member 4068 label Biography information for Lord Harrington of Watford
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

714683

registered interest
date	28/03/2017
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	State Retirement Pensions: Females
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Pensions of 27 March 2017, Official Report, column 16, what estimate his Department has made of the cost of that alternative proposed by the Work and Pensions Committee to permit a defined group of women who have been affected by state pension age changes to take early retirement, from a specified age, on an actuarially neutral basis; what the costs in that estimate of (a) means-tested benefits, (b) national insurance contributions, (c) changes to working patterns and taxation, (d) unfunded public sector pensions schemes, (e) bus passes, (f) winter fuel payments, (g) other non-means-tested benefits and (h) setting up, operating and communicating that alternative were; and what estimate his Department has made of the likely take-up of that alternative and the effect of that take-up on its estimated costs.
tabling member constituency	East Worthing and Shoreham
tabling member printed	Tim Loughton
uin	69604
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/04/2017 answer text <p>The Department has made no estimate of the cost of permitting a defined group of women to take early retirement on an actuarially neutral basis, nor has it estimated possible take-up levels of any such scheme.</p><p> </p><p>The Government Actuary submitted evidence to the Work and Pensions Select Committee on early access to State Pension in April last year, including indicative estimates of potential costs should such a scheme be in operation. The evidence submitted by the Government Actuary can be found at the Work and Pensions Select Committee website at:</p><p><a href="http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/work-and-pensions-committee/inquiries/parliament-2015/early-drawing-pension-15-16/" target="_blank">http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/work-and-pensions-committee/inquiries/parliament-2015/early-drawing-pension-15-16/</a></p> answering member constituency Watford answering member printed Richard Harrington question first answered 18/04/2017 14:27:17 answering member 4068 label Biography information for Lord Harrington of Watford
tabling member	114 label Biography information for Tim Loughton

714693

registered interest
date	28/03/2017
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	State Retirement Pensions: Age
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of regional variations in life expectancy when reviewing the state pension age.
tabling member constituency	Easington
tabling member printed	Grahame Morris
uin	69541
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/04/2017 answer text <p>The Government will present its first Review of the State Pension age to Parliament in May 2017. It will consider the reports produced by the Government Actuary and the independent reviewer John Cridland CBE. The Review will be forward looking and will not recommend State Pension age changes to be made before 2028. Any proposed changes would be brought for Parliamentary consideration and would require primary legislation.</p><p> </p><p>The Office of National Statistics published figures on life expectancy at birth and at age 65 by local areas for the UK last November, as part of their publication on health state life expectancies. The publication and accompanying data can be found here: <a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/healthandlifeexpectancies/bulletins/healthstatelifeexpectanciesuk/2013to2015" target="_blank">https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/healthandlifeexpectancies/bulletins/healthstatelifeexpectanciesuk/2013to2015</a></p> answering member constituency Watford answering member printed Richard Harrington question first answered 05/04/2017 14:53:25 answering member 4068 label Biography information for Lord Harrington of Watford
tabling member	3973 label Biography information for Grahame Morris

714713

registered interest
date	28/03/2017
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	State Retirement Pensions: Self-employed
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the Government's decision to abolish Class 2 national insurance contributions on the ability of self-employed people to access a full state pension.
tabling member constituency	Easington
tabling member printed	Grahame Morris
uin	69620
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/04/2017 answer text <p>Following the abolition of Class 2 National Insurance contributions from 2018/19 the self-employed will continue to have access to the new State Pension. Self-employed people with annual profits above a new Small Profits Limit will gain access to the new State Pension based on Class 4 National Insurance contributions. The Small Profits Limit will be set at the same level as the annualised Lower Earnings Limit for employees which is £5,876 in 2017/18. Those with profits below the Small Profits Limit who don’t already have a full National Insurance contribution record will be able to access the new State Pension through earnings subject to payment of Class 1 Primary (employee) contributions; National Insurance credits; or payment of Class 3 voluntary contributions.</p> answering member constituency Watford answering member printed Richard Harrington question first answered 05/04/2017 15:43:14 answering member 4068 label Biography information for Lord Harrington of Watford
tabling member	3973 label Biography information for Grahame Morris

714213

registered interest
date	27/03/2017
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Pension Protection Fund
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when the proposed changes to the Pension Protection Fund's compensation cap extension will be implemented; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	St Albans
tabling member printed	Mrs Anne Main
uin	69152
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/04/2017 answer text <p>The regulations to implement the increase in the Pension Protection Fund’s compensation cap for long service were laid on 7 March 2017, and subject to Parliamentary approval, will come into force on 6 April 2017.</p> answering member constituency Watford answering member printed Richard Harrington question first answered 04/04/2017 15:07:18 answering member 4068 label Biography information for Lord Harrington of Watford
tabling member	1568 label Biography information for Mrs Anne Main