The Pensions Acts of 1995, 2007 and 2011 were fully debated in Parliament. The government undertook wide public consultation before the passage of the Acts. This included publishing Green and White Papers. The passage of the Acts and the changes they brought in were widely reported in the media throughout this period.<\/p>
<\/p>
The changes to State Pension age that the Pensions Act 1995 brought in started to come into effect from April 2010 giving a notice period of at least 15 years for those changes.<\/p>
<\/p>
In addition, the DWP and others took extensive steps in the years following the 1995 Act to further communicate the changes to women born in the 1950s, as well as all others affected, by means such as leaflets, State Pension forecasts, media articles and personal letters.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4142", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Guy Opperman"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hexham"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Guy Opperman"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-12T16:33:16.753Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "State Retirement Pensions: Females"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many women born in the 1950s and affected by the change of the state pension age received less than five years notice of that change.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1484", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Helen Goodman"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bishop Auckland"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Helen Goodman"} ], "uin" : "261488"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1131090", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1131090/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Government is committed to ensuring that older people receive the support they are entitled to and the DWP targets activity on engaging with people who may be eligible to benefits at pivotal stages, such as when they claim State Pension or report a change in their circumstances. The DWP uses a wide range of channels to communicate information about benefits to potential customers; including information on https://gov.uk/<\/a>, in leaflets and by telephone. DWP staff in Pension Centres and Jobcentres including visiting officers are able to provide help and advice about entitlement to benefits, as are staff in Local Authorities who administer Housing Benefit.<\/p> <\/p> Potential customers can use the Pension Credit https://www.gov.uk/pension-credit-calculator<\/a> to check if they are likely to be eligible and get an estimate of what they may receive. People wishing to claim Pension Credit can do so by calling 0800 99 1234.<\/p> .<\/p> One of the best ways to reach eligible customers is through trusted stakeholder working in the community and we have developed the Pension Credit toolkit, as an on-line tool for agencies and welfare rights organisations to use in order to encourage Pension Credit take-up. It can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pension-credit-toolkit<\/a><\/p> <\/p> The toolkit contains resources for anyone working with pensioners and includes guides to Pension Credit. It also contains publicity material and guidance designed to help older people understand how they could get Pension Credit and help organisations support someone applying for Pension Credit as well as ideas for encouraging take-up. The toolkit also provides links to information about disability and carers benefits.<\/p> <\/p> Most recently we have provided to relevant stakeholders a fact sheet about Pension Credit and the changes introduced on 15 May for mixed age couples to ensure that accurate information is available in the places where people are most likely to seek information.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4142", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Guy Opperman"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hexham"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Guy Opperman"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-13T10:41:36.697Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Pension Credit"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to promote the uptake of Pension Credits; and if she will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4463", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chris Stephens"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Glasgow South West"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Chris Stephens"}
], "uin" : "262460"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1131014", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1131014/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Department for Work and Pensions has engaged with the Financial Conduct Authority on their proposals to improve the information received by pension scheme members. The department is working with the Pension Regulator as to how best to introduce equivalent measures for occupational pension schemes and will also seek to involve industry stakeholders such as the Association of British Insurers in this work.<\/p> The Government considers that providing people with the right information at the right time can be key in helping them make more effective decisions about their pension savings. It is sensible to tailor communications to people\u2019s circumstances. There will be some differences in the information someone in work would find more helpful than someone aged 75 or over who is already retired. It is important, however, that all savers are alerted to the risks posed by pension scams and we welcome the inclusion of that messaging in the approach proposed by the Association of British Insurers.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4142", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Guy Opperman"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hexham"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Guy Opperman"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-13T10:57:04.047Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Pensions: Consumer Information"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Association of British Insurer's report: Principles for tailoring retirement risk warnings, published in May 2019, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of ensuring that age-appropriate warnings are provided when information is given on (a) pension scams, (b) employer contributions in relation to pensions, (c) tax matters in relation to pensions, (c) life expectancy in relation to financial planning and (d) lasting power of attorney in relation to financial and health matters.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1436", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Paul Farrelly"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Newcastle-under-Lyme"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Paul Farrelly"}
], "uin" : "262270"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1131089", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1131089/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Information on the number of applicants for Pension Credit in Glasgow South West constituency is not available.<\/p> <\/p> Information on the number of recipients of Pension Credit in Glasgow South West constituency in each of the latest four quarters available is set out below:<\/p> <\/p> Pension Credit recipients in Glasgow South West constituency<\/strong><\/p> <\/p>