Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the requirement for a person to have 10 years of qualifying national insurance contributions to receive any state pension on poverty and homelessness of people aged over 60 in (a) Wales and (b) the UK.

The new State Pension has a minimum qualifying period of ten years to ensure that only people who have made a significant economic and social contribution can become entitled. However, people who do not satisfy the Minimum Qualifying Period may be entitled to means tested benefits. For example, Pension Credit provides means tested support for low income pensioners and works by topping up any other income to a standard minimum amount and Housing Benefit provides support for rent for those on a low income.