The Government wants to ensure that older people receive the support and help available to them. It is important to highlight that there are already 1.6 million people claiming some £5.4 billion in Pension Credit but some people may be missing out.<\/p>
<\/p>
We want to make sure that all pensioners eligible can claim the Pension Credit to which they are rightly entitled. That is why we are currently considering options for raising awareness of Pension Credit, including working with our stakeholders, to help dispel some of the misconceptions that people might have about Pension Credit eligibility. For example, we want to make it clear that having savings, a pension or owning a home are not automatic barriers to receiving Pension Credit.<\/p>
<\/p>
Of course DWP continues to use a wide range of channels including information on www.gov.uk<\/a>, in leaflets and by telephone to communicate information about benefits including Pension Credit to potential claimants. We target activity on engaging with people who may be eligible to benefits at pivotal stages, such as when they claim State Pension or Attendance Allowance or report a change in their circumstances which may mean that they could be eligible for Pension Credit. In addition, the Pension Credit calculator https://www.gov.uk/pension-credit-calculator<\/a> enables potential claimants to check if they are likely to be eligible and get an estimate of what they may receive<\/p> We know that often the best ways to reach eligible pensioners is through trusted stakeholders working in the community. The Pension Credit 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. It can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pension-credit-toolkit<\/a><\/p> <\/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" : "2020-02-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "9606"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-02-03T17:54:44.353Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2020-01-29", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Pension Credit"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how her Department has promoted Pension Credit since June 2019.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1400", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kevin Brennan"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Cardiff West"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Kevin Brennan"}
], "uin" : "9605"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1172902", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1172902/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " In 2012 both houses of Parliament debated at length and then agreed changes to the welfare policies. This resulted in the Welfare Reform Act of 2012.<\/p> <\/strong><\/p> Under provisions in the Welfare Reform Act 2012, Parliament decided that pension-age income-related benefits would no longer be available to couples before both partners have reached State Pension age. These changes took effect from 15 May 2019.<\/p> <\/p> The average weekly reduction in the amount of income related benefit received amongst the estimated number of couples who would have been entitled to Pension Credit and/or pension age Housing Benefit without the policy change is estimated to be approximately £70 per week (to the nearest £10) in 2019/20.<\/p> <\/p> The estimated average weekly notional reduction is calculated by taking the estimated annual expenditure savings from the policy change and dividing by the estimated number of mixed age couples who would have been entitled to Pension Credit and/or pension age Housing Benefit without the policy change.<\/p> <\/p> No mixed age couples who were receiving Pension Credit and/or pension age Housing Benefit immediately before the implementation date of 15 May 2019, would see a reduction in the amount of benefit they receive as a result of the policy change (unless their entitlement to both those benefits subsequently ends).<\/p> <\/p> An annual notional reduction would depend on the length of time in a year that an individual couple would have claimed Pension Credit and/or pension age Housing Benefit, as well as any difference in a couple\u2019s level of support on Universal Credit compared to pensioner income-related benefits, both of which will reflect individual circumstantial changes and behavioural choices.<\/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" : "2020-01-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-01-28T16:57:26.973Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2020-01-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Universal Credit"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the financial effect on mixed-aged couples where the older member of the couple reaches pension age and the couple are unable to claim pension credit or pension age housing benefit and must instead claim universal credit.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4453", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Tommy Sheppard"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Edinburgh East"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Tommy Sheppard"}
], "uin" : "7237"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1172989", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1172989/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The number of older people in employment is at near-record high. There are now 10.6 million workers aged 50 and over, compared to 9.1 million five years ago. Employment level for women aged 50 and over is currently 5 million.<\/p> <\/p> To support women to remain and return to the labour market, the Government has removed the Default Retirement Age, meaning that most people can choose when to retire and extended the right to flexible working beyond carers, to all employees with 26 weeks\u2019 continuous service with their employer.<\/p> <\/p> In February 2017, the Government published our Fuller Working Lives strategy which set out the role employers, individuals and government can play in supporting older workers. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/587654/fuller-working-lives-a-partnership-approach.pdf<\/a><\/p> Additionally, we appointed a Business Champion for Older Workers to engage and influence employers on a practical and strategic level, promoting the benefits of an older workforce.<\/p> <\/p> Through the National Retraining Partnership, a partnership between Government, the Confederation of British Industry and the Trades Union Congress, Government is developing the National Retraining Scheme. The National Retraining Scheme will help prepare adults for future changes to the economy, including those brought about by automation, to help them retrain into better jobs.<\/p> <\/p> In February last year, DWP launched our online mid-life MOT page which encourages more active planning in the key areas of work, wellbeing and finances. https://www.yourpension.gov.uk/mid-life-mot/<\/a><\/p> <\/p>
Information on how much has been spent on raising awareness of the availability of pension credit since June 2019 is not available.<\/p>