Social Security Benefits Uprating Order 2019: Ministerial Corrections

Tuesday 2nd April 2019 Written Statements

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Justin Tomlinson)]

The Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order 2019 maintains the Government’s commitment to the triple lock for both the basic state pension and the new state pension. The order also increases benefits for carers, guardians and those with disabilities and long-term health conditions; sharing the proceeds of economic growth with some of the most vulnerable in society.

I would like to clarify the following points I made during the Social Security Benefits Up-rating 2019-20 debate on 4 March 2019 and apologise to the House for these inadvertent errors:

That the order reflects the Government’s continuing commitment to increase the full rates of the basic and new state pensions by the triple lock.

Regarding the pension credit standard minimum guarantee—the means-tested threshold below which pensioner incomes should not fall—from April 2019, the single person threshold of this safety-net benefit will rise to £167.25—over £1,800 a year higher than it was in 2010.

With this up-rating order, I am bringing forward plans to increase support for some of the most vulnerable people in society to the tune of £3.7 billion, with £3.6 billion alone to help those with disabilities and long-term health conditions, and pensioners—key people who the Government, as we share the proceeds of growth, will continue to target support towards.

The severe disablement allowance will increase from £77.65 to £79.50. The severe disability premia for a single person have increased from £64.30 to £65.85.

The transcript to the original debate can be found here:

https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2019-03-04/debates/1E3A4E87-E2BC-4C53-98D5-E4497A48722D/SocialSecurity.

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