Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Martyn Day and Guy Opperman

Monday 11th July 2022 Commons Chamber

[Martyn Day (Linlithgow and East Falkirk) (SNP)]

3. What steps her Department is taking to support pensioners in the context of the increase in the cost of living.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Guy Opperman)]

Mr Speaker, I hope to be a better Pensions Minister than the one from whom I have just inherited the job.

The United Kingdom Government have provided £37 billion-worth of support for those most in need, including pensioners. Some pensioners will receive in excess of £1,500 over and above the state pension, which is up this year.

[Martyn Day]

I thank the Minister for that answer, but pension credit figures show that an estimated £1.7 billion goes unclaimed. Not only are 850,000 families missing out on this essential support, but they are also ineligible for the £650 cost of living payment. Will the Minister consider extending the cut-off date for entitlement to that payment to next March? Will the Department finally look at a proper benefits take-up strategy such as the one we have in Scotland?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Martyn Day and Guy Opperman

Monday 14th September 2020 Commons Chamber

[Martyn Day (Linlithgow and East Falkirk) (SNP)]

What steps she is taking with the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to ensure that vulnerable people have access to welfare benefits through Post Office services.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Guy Opperman) [V]]

Ministers in the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy worked closely with the Post Office to ensure that vulnerable customers were able to access benefit payments during lockdown. It remains the case that at least 99% of customers with a bank, building society, credit union or Post Office card account can already access their benefit or pension payments at post office branches or post office ATMs.

[Martyn Day [V]]

Some 1.23 million people do not have a bank account. Given the DWP’s decision that new benefits or state pensions will no longer be collected using the Post Office card account, with the scheme officially closing in November next year, how will the Minister ensure that an estimated 300,000 vulnerable people can still access their benefits?

[Guy Opperman]

Any customer with a building society or credit union account will be able to continue to access their benefit or pension payments at a post office, even after the closure of the Post Office card account, including all bank accounts. There is also the ability to open a basic bank account, for which assistance can be given.