Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Simon Baynes and Mel Stride

Monday 6th March 2023 Commons Chamber

[Simon Baynes (Clwyd South) (Con)]

1. What steps his Department is taking to increase the number of eligible people claiming pension credit.

[The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Mel Stride)]

My Department has carried out a comprehensive campaign of communication since April 2022 to promote pension credit. I am pleased to inform the House that the average number of pension credit applications is up 73% compared with this time last year.

[Simon Baynes]

I strongly backed my right hon. Friend’s campaign in December last year, particularly in my Clwyd South constituency. Will he give us a further assessment of how effective that campaign has been in Wales and across the rest of the UK?

[Mel Stride]

I congratulate my hon. Friend on the work that he has been doing in his constituency on this matter. I can inform him that for the week commencing 12 December, for example, there were 7,200 claims, which is a 177% increase compared with this time last year.